The Final Days Of The Sri Lankan Civil War -- Eyewitness Account

Tiger Prisoner Describes End Of The War -- BBC

A former prisoner of war of the Tamil Tigers who managed to escape days before their final defeat has denied reports that he was used to carry a surrender message from the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) leadership.

Chaminda Kumara Hewage of the Sri Lankan navy was captured by the LTTE with six others in November 2006.

The group managed to escape with fleeing civilians and Tamil Tigers early in the morning of 17 May.

"Many Tamil Tigers had already surrendered and the unit guarding us also decided to give themselves up so we made use of the opportunity to flee," he told the BBC's Sinhala Service.

Chaminda Kumara says he saw pistols and other weapons being thrown away by the fleeing LTTE members.

"There were pistols, LTTE tags, belts and cyanide capsules thrown away in LTTE camps and all along the road" he says.

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My Comment: It must have been pure hell in the last few days of the war.

Sri Lanka War -- News Reports And Bulletins

Tamil tiger rebels fire their weapons against government soldiers Photo: REUTERS

Sri Lanka's Military Says Heavy Fighting Kills Over 70 -- AP

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Tamil Tiger separatists and government forces fought intense battles across Sri Lanka's embattled northern region, killing at least 62 rebels and eight soldiers, the military said Friday.

Deadly infantry clashes raged throughout the day Thursday along the front lines separating government controlled territory and the rebels' de facto state in the north, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Clashes in Kilinochchi district, home to the rebels' de facto capital, killed 17 rebels and five soldiers, he said. Another 14 soldiers were wounded.

Other battles killed 20 insurgents and three soldiers, he said.

The Tamil Tigers, meanwhile, said they repelled a government offensive in Kilinochchi on Thursday, killing 25 soldiers. The report was seen on the rebel-affiliated TamilNet Web site.

A ferocious sea battle off the island's northwest coast on Thursday killed 25 rebel sailors and wounded two government sailors, Nanayakkara said.

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More News On Sri Lnaka

Sri Lanka: An 'island of blood' -- National Post
Heavy fighting as Sri Lankan troops move on rebel HQ -- AFP
Fighting rages in Sri Lanka's north, at least 63 killed -- Reuters
Sri Lanka Battles Tamil Rebels in Land, Air and Sea Attacks -- Bloomberg
Seventy dead in Sri Lanka fighting -- The Telegraph
Tigers on defensive as Sri Lanka military closes in -- AFP
Tamil Tigers killed during sea battle with Sri Lankan navy -- The Independent

My Comment: The Tiger guerillas are about to expelled into the jungle. Their last main military base is about to fall to Sri Lankan forces.

Sri Lanka Makes New Push Into Tiger Territory: Military

A Sri Lankan soldier stands guard in the capital of Colombo. Some 48 Tamil Tiger rebels and seven soldiers were killed in ground battles across Sri Lanka's war-ravaged northern district, the defence ministry said Saturday. (AFP/File/Ishara S. Kodikara)

From AFP:

COLOMBO (AFP) — Sri Lankan troops launched a fresh advance into territory held by Tamil rebels Sunday, killing 15 guerrillas, while another 27 combatants were killed in other clashes, the defence ministry said.

The latest push was in the Jaffna peninsula, which is partly held by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the defence ministry said in a statement.

"Fifteen LTTE terrorists were killed when the army made a daring advance ... this morning before first light (and) without sustaining any damage to (our) own troops," the ministry said.

There was no immediate word from the Tigers about the military's latest claims, but the guerrillas said an air strike inside their territory on Saturday killed or wounded civilians.

"Two civilians, including a school teacher, were killed, four more civilians were injured... when (the) Sri Lanka air force bombed Iranaipalai," the Tigers said.

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More News On Sri Lanka's Civil War

48 Tiger rebels, 7 soldiers killed in Sri Lanka fighting -- Daily Times
Sri Lanka soldiers attack rebels, 40 killed -- Syracuse.com
Sri Lanka's air force bombs rebel base -- Yahoo News/AP
Sri Lankan PM: Terrorism must be eradicated before having talks -- China View
Thousands of Families Fleeing Conflict in Sri Lanka -- Voice Of America
Sri Lanka: Thousands Have Fled Fighting, U.N. Says -- New York Times

My Comment: The Sri Lankan Government has made it very clear that they will not talk with the Tamil rebels. This war is going to go on for a bit longer.

Tamil Tiger Sea Base 'Captured'

From The BBC News:

The Sri Lankan military says it has captured a key coastal town in the north-west from Tamil Tiger rebels.

The military says Vidattaltivu, about 20km (12 miles) from the town of Mannar, was used by the rebels' naval wing to smuggle in supplies from India.

The Tigers, who retain control of other bases further up the north-west coast, have not commented on the claims.

The rebels have been fighting for a separate state for the island's ethnic Tamil minority for a generation.

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Sri Lanka military captures key northern town -- Reuters India
Sri Lankan military: Army captures key rebel naval base in north -- Canadian Press
Key LTTE base captured, 30 rebels killed in Lanka -- The Hindu
Sri Lanka Says Its Troops Captured Rebels' Naval Base -- Bloomberg

My Comment: The Sri Lankan military is now trying to cut all military supply links with India. They know that the LTTE (The Tigers) gets most (if not all) of their military supplies from India. Cutting this link will significantly cripple the LTTE ..... a goal that has now been achieved.