Sri Lankan Air Force Bomb Rebels

Above: Sri Lankan MiG

One day after reports of ground battles killing 95 people (92 rebels and 3 government soldiers), the Sri Lankan Air Force (pictured above is a Sri Lankan MiG) bombed a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebel base at around around 8:15 a.m. local time Friday morning – targeting two artillery positions. The so-called “Sea Tiger” base is at Kiranchchi in the Kilinochchi district of Sri Lanka.

Below: Tiger Tamil Soldier

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (pictured above is one of the rebels) claims that the attack was not on a base but on a village and five civilians were killed in the attack while 7 others were wounded (2 of them critical).

Government sources say more fighting between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is set before the end of this year. Another report from them also said that more than 1,450 rebels have been killed since the beginning of this year. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have an estimated 5,000 rebels. From their part, 83 soldiers and police have been killed this year alone.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has been fighting against government forces for more than two decades already. They are looking for a separate homeland for their minority (Tamils) in the north and east. This war has taken more than 70,000 people according to the rebels.

Just last month, the Sri Lankan government officially pulled out of a six-year-old ceasefire with the rebels. According to reports, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government believes that the Tigers used the truce to gather more weapons and were not sincere about the peace talks. This government has since vowed to annihilate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. They have already captured large rebel-held territories in the east.

But analysts from the country say neither side is winning, with the Tigers fighting back with suicide and roadside attacks and bombings.

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