COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Government forces and Tamil Tiger separatists fought pitched battles in the rain and mud in a ring of villages outside the rebel administrative capital in northern Sri Lanka, the military said Tuesday.
“Heavy clashes” broke out throughout the day Monday in the village of Pallawarayankatu near rebel headquarters in Kilinochchi, the military said in a statement. Separate fighting erupted in the villages of Akkrayankulam and Kokkavil.

Sri Lanka will not be part of a process that comes in the form of an investigation on the extension of the GSP + facility to Sri Lanka, observed Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama during his discussions today (24th October 2008) with the Ambassador of France, Michel Lummaux. France is the current Chair of the European Union (EU). He further reiterated that the route of an investigation to assess Sri Lanka’s compliance on the requisites for extension of this facility would not be accepted and therefore an alternative process should be …

A senior western diplomat has warned that living conditions are deteriorating for tens of thousands of civilians displaced inside Tamil Tiger rebel-held areas in northern Sri Lanka. It is a humanitarian disaster waiting to happen, he says.
“We have one of the biggest humanitarian problems emerging in the north at the moment. Unfortunately it’s not attracting enough international attention,” the diplomat, who’s familiar with the Sri Lankan situation, told the BBC.
Sri Lankan security forces are carrying out a multi-pronged offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north and some army …

Troops of Task Force 1 this morning cut-off Mannar- Poonaryn (A-32) road at 8 Km north of Nachchikudha, said the defence sources. Accordingly, troops have encircled the main Sea Tiger stronghold on the northwestern coast of the Island, and are now engaged in mop up operations towards Nachchikudha build-up, from the south Pallawarayankaddu area, the sources added.
Troops of Task Force 1, launched their offensives to dominate the strategically vital northwestern coast of the Island in September 2007. Opening the Mannar front troops advanced for about 40 Km along the …