Nov 17 Colombo: Sri Lanka ruling party United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) says that they are not in any hurry to hold a general election at this moment.

Speaking at a special press briefing held in Colombo this morning Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the government has a certain capability to win a general election if it holds one.

“We can face and win any poll at this juncture,” the Minister added.

The Minister stressed that following the win on second reading of the 2009 budget proposals in parliament with a comfortable majority, the government has a clear confidence of going its full term

Nov 17, Vavuniya: Increasing the harassment against minor Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka two Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) members have been shot dead in Vavuniya last night.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said unidentified gunmen on a three wheeler have shot the TELO members when they were in their office at Kurumankadu in Vavuniya at about 8:30 p.m.

According to the sources another four TELO members have been injured during the shoot out.

The injured persons have been admitted to the Anuradhapura Hospital.

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Nov 17, Colombo: President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa as Commander-In-Chief today extended the term of the Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka for another year.

The new extension will be effective from 18th December. The Army Commander was due to retire on December 10.

Nov 17, Colombo: Sri Lanka Air Force Mi24 helicopters have launched air attacks on LTTE targets in Kilinochchi this morning.

Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the attack was carried out on an identified LTTE gathering point located 10 kilometers East of Akkrayankulam at about 11:30 this morning.

According to the spokesman the raid was to support the troops of 57 Division who are marching forward to the rebel capital of Kilinochchi.

Pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit.

Nov 17, Colombo: Another Tamil Tiger held town in Northern Sri Lanka fell to the hands of advancing troops this afternoon.

Troops of the Task Force-3 flanked west of the A-9 main road at Vannivilankulama have entered the Mankulama area in Mullaitivu, following hours of heavy fighting with LTTE today at around 2 p.m., the military said.

Tiger rebels held strategic Mankulama, located about 45 kilometers north of Vavuniya along the A-9 highway since 1999. A-34 highway connecting Mullaitivu on the East to A-9 runs through Mankulama.

Defence sources said the troops of TF-3 surrounded the area yesterday engaging LTTE positions with indirect fire. Troops have cut-off a stretch of the A-34 Mankulama- Oddusudan main road yesterday, the sources added.

 

Relief items from India to be dispatched among the Sri Lankan IDP’s this week
Monday, November 17, 2008, 15:50 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Nov 17, Colombo: Essential food and other items donated by the Indian government to the displaced Tamils in Sri Lanka are scheduled to be dispatched among the IDPs in Wanni region within this week.

Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka announced this afternoon that they will dispatch these essential food and other items in the middle of this week through the International Committee of Red Cross officials.

According to the High Commission the ship carrying these items had reached the Colombo Harbour last Saturday evening.

Indian government has donated 1,680 tonnes of essential food items and garments for the Tamils displaced due to the conflict in Wanni. A Total of 100 containers, 83 containers of food items and 17 containers of clothing have been sent.

Heavy fighting erupted between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Mu’l'likku’lam area in Mannaar Thursday morning around 6:30 a.m. The fighting continued throughout the evening. Seven SLA soldiers wounded in LTTE artillery fire were rushed to Anuradhapura hospital, medical sources said. LTTE officials said the Tigers have put up stiff resistance inflicting casualties upon the SLA.

the UNP MP said that the killing of political wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvan will weaken the LTTE political section. However, he said that undermining the political wing could mean strengthening of military wing and said the country should be vigilant.

Marxist party MP Vijitha Herath said the killing of LTTE political wing leader is a major victory for the entire Sri Lankan community

 

 The funeral of the five leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is scheduled to be held on Monday November 05 in Kilinochchi, sources said.

Political Wing chief of the LTTE, S.P. Thamilchelvan and another five senior LTTE leaders were killed in a Sri Lanka Air Force air raid on November 02.

Velupillai Prabhakaran, the elusive leader of the LTTE, paid his last respects to the slain LTTE leaders Friday evening