Tamil Tigers pound Sri Lankan troops in final push for Jaffna

The first Sri Lankan army video released in months shows government troops arriving in Jaffna to reinforce the 35,000 soldiers already there

May 12, 2000
Web posted at: 9:17 a.m. HKT (0117 GMT)

In this story: Norwegian peace envoy arrives in India Tamils: Thousands of troops trapped Tamil advance steady Censorship concerns U.S. officials RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

EDITOR'S NOTE: A Sri Lankan government censor cleared reports filed by CNN, as with all international news organizations.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Rebel shells began falling Thursday on the northern city of Jaffna as Tamil Tiger rebels moved to within a few kilometers (miles) of the city.

Between 35,000 and 40,000 government troops in Jaffna prepared to defend the city from a rebel assault Thursday as Tamil rebel radio warned them to surrender. The shelling signaled a further rebel advance against the city as the 17-year-civil war appeared to be entering a decisive phase.

VIDEO CNN's Satinder Bindra shows the first army video released in months. (May 11) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     AUDIO Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim comments on assisting Sri Lanka 192k/17 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     RESOURCES TIME: Tigers Triumphant     MESSAGE BOARD Rebellion in Sri Lanka

Earlier Thursday, the Tamil rebels claimed to have captured strategic locations on the outskirts of Jaffna as they continued fighting to reclaim the cultural capital of their would-be homeland.

The rebels launched this latest offensive on Wednesday, striking the Sri Lankan troops on three sides as they pushed toward the town that fell to government forces in 1995.

"In a multipronged offensive thrust, the Tamil Tiger commando units stormed defense positions ... at Navatkuli, Ariyalai and Thanankillapu villages ... inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy forces," the rebels said in a statement issued from their London office.

A Norwegian envoy arrived in India on Thursday to try to broker a peace agreement between the warring sides.

"The purpose of the visit is to brief India about what Norway had been doing. We will assist both India and Sri Lanka to find a peaceful solution to the problem," Erik Solheim, appointed by Oslo to try to negotiate a peace pact, said on his arrival at New Delhi airport.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fighting 17 years for an independent homeland for the country's 3.2 million minority Tamils. More than 60,000 people have died in the civil war.

The Tamil rebels say the majority Sinhalese discriminate against them, especially regarding jobs and education. The government denies the accusation.

Video released from the Sri Lankan army shows the military's presence on the streets of Jaffna

The fighting had intensified Thursday morning, and many of the rebels were reportedly teen-agers. Government officials said 33 soldiers had been killed and 200 others had been injured. Rebels had not released casualty figures.

The rebels claimed Thursday that they had thousands of government soldiers trapped on the peninsula. That claim could not be independently verified, as the government has not allowed journalists into the battle zone.

Earlier in the week, the Sri Lankan government rejected a cease-fire offered by the rebels to allow the government to rescue the approximately 40,000 troops. The government, however, said the offer amounted to a retreat.

The rebels said Thursday they had destroyed an army tank, damaged armored vehicles and captured the strategic Navatkuli bridge about three kilometers (two miles) from Jaffna.

The government, however, said the rebels had not seized the bridge.

"Troops in strength continue to hold the bridge. So far, troops have repulsed many attempts of the terrorists to get closer to the bridge," the government's Special Media Information Center said.

Last week the Sri Lankan government imposed censorship on media reports on military affairs and any other subject that may affect national security

The rebels, in their most spectacular victory since the war started, captured Elephant Pass, the gateway to the peninsula, on April 22. They have since advanced steadily on Jaffna.

Shortly after that battle, Lt. Gen. Sirilal Weerassoriya, Sri Lanka's army commander, stunned his country when he confessed the rebels, with an estimated 6,000 members, were better equipped than the 100,000-member army.

Sri Lanka confirmed on Tuesday that it had received arms and ammunition, and planned to use the firepower to try and rescue the troops. There was speculation Sri Lanka had purchased the weapons from either Israel or Russia.

On Wednesday, U.S. officials expressed concern that censorship of international media coverage of the civil war, and other restrictions recently imposed by the government, could undermine Sri Lanka's democracy.

"As with the issue of censorship, while we understand the seriousness of the crisis that Sri Lanka faces, we call on the government to avoid restrictions of civil liberties," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said.

"It really remains vital that press freedoms be preserved to the greatest extent possible, consistent, obviously, with the need to protect the security of military operations," Reeker added.

Sri Lanka imposed the censorship on May 4 as part of the Public Security Act, which had been invoked earlier. The new regulations banned all activities that could harm national security.

"(The government's action is) purely to coverup the inefficiencies of the government ... They are trying to make the media the scapegoat," Sunday Times editor Sinha Ratnatunga said.

Correspondent Satinder Bindra and Reuters contributed to this report.

Sri Lanka receives arms to fight rebels
May 9, 2000
Sri Lankan military prepares to oust Tamil rebels from positions close to Jaffna
May 7, 2000
Tamils claim advance; Sri Lanka reportedly seeks Indian help
May 3, 2000
Tamil rebels claim advances on Sri Lanka's Kilali base
May 2, 2000
Sri Lankan president offers peace as reservists called up
April 28, 2000

Government of Sri Lanka
Tamil Eelam

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