By Prensa Latina
Colombo : A frequently violated ceasefire accord between Sri Lanka’s government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam separatist rebels, expired on Wednesday, auguring intensification of the armed conflict in this country.
Despite the truce agreed in 2002, the constant clashes and attacks in the last two years in the LTTE zones of operation resulted in 4,000 deaths, and two weeks ago the government chose to withdraw from the agreement.
Violence reached the civil population on Wednesday morning, when a bomb, allegedly placed by Tamil, exploded on a public bus, leaving 23 dead and 67 wounded, mostly students on their way to school in the Monragala district, south of Colombo.
The authorities said the LTTE, which is struggling for an independent state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, took advantage of the pact signed in Norway to rearm and regroup, and asserted that they are determined to finish off the insurgency before the current year ends.
Chief of the LTTE political wing B. Nadesan said the government has been making those statements for 30 years, but has never achieved its objectives. “We are in a strong position; our leaders have the strength to defend themselves from this military offensive.”
Nadesan augured that if the army carries out a large scale offensive, the Sri Lankan forces will suffer many casualties.
In fact the Air Force started intensive bombings today against supposed LTTE ammunitions and bomb factories and a warehouse complex in the Mullaithivu district.
A military spokesperson said the Air Force used reliable intelligence information provided by seized Tamil members, and was able to destroy the rebel warehouses.