04-13-2004, 12:08 PM
13 Apr 2004 07:08 GMT DJ.
<span style='color:red'>Sri Lankan Breakaway Rebels Disperse, Leader On The Run
COLOMBO (AP)--A renegade Tamil Tiger rebel leader was on the run Tuesday with his forces dispersing, following days of factional fighting with fellow Tamil militants that killed dozens and threatened Sri Lanka's fragile cease-fire.
Military sources said that about 500 members of the breakaway group fled their positions overnight, hours after about 2,000 of their comrades gave up their posts in eastern Sri Lanka, where the renegade rebels have clashed with the mainstream Tamil Tigers since Friday.
The mainstream Tigers were in "full control of the eastern districts" following their advance against the breakaway Eastern Tigers, said spokesman Agnes Bragadottir of the European cease-fire monitoring team.
Sri Lanka's military chief, meanwhile, said that if asked, he was ready to give protection to Eastern Tigers' leader, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan.
"We don't know where he is, but if he asks for protection, we can give him so," Gen. Lionel Balagalle, who heads Sri Lanka's 100,000-strong armed forces, told The Associated Press.
The government in the past has given protection to Tiger deserters. "This has been our policy and we will stick to it," he said.
Military sources in Colombo said they believe Muralitharan - known as Karuna - had fled from his main base in Thoppigala. The area is about 120 kilometers north of Colombo.
Muralitharan split with the mainstream Tigers early last month in a dispute over regional rivalry and political strategy, taking 6,000 of the group's 15,000 fighters and claiming control over a portion of eastern Sri Lanka.
Northern-based rebels on Friday launched an offensive that pushed the Eastern Tigers from their front line along the Verugal River, north of Thoppigala, in heavy fighting that eased by Sunday.
The fighting between Tamil militants - not far from territory controlled by the Sinhalese-dominated government - has risked drawing in the Sri Lankan army and reviving the tropical island's civil war.
Separatist Tamils started fighting the government in 1983 in a war that was halted by a February 2002 cease-fire accord, after having claimed nearly 65,000 lives.
Military officials reached in eastern Sri Lanka early Tuesday said that about 500 more of Muralitharan's cadres dispersed overnight and left the area for their homes. It wasn't immediately known if they left under the direction of Muralitharan or simply abandoned their posts, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, the renegade faction abandoned its massive Meenaham military base, home to thousands of fighters and weaponry, rebel and military sources said.
"According to information we have received, Karuna seems to have given up," Eric Solheim, a key broker for the Norwegian-backed peace process, told The Associated Press. "We are still uncertain about Karuna's destiny."
Military officials have said the unconfirmed death toll from the heavy fighting starting Friday was 33, including civilians. </span>
[size=16]இதே AP ஊடுதான் கருணா தனது பிளவு குறித்து முதல் முதலில் அறிவித்திருந்தார் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது...!
<span style='color:red'>Sri Lankan Breakaway Rebels Disperse, Leader On The Run
COLOMBO (AP)--A renegade Tamil Tiger rebel leader was on the run Tuesday with his forces dispersing, following days of factional fighting with fellow Tamil militants that killed dozens and threatened Sri Lanka's fragile cease-fire.
Military sources said that about 500 members of the breakaway group fled their positions overnight, hours after about 2,000 of their comrades gave up their posts in eastern Sri Lanka, where the renegade rebels have clashed with the mainstream Tamil Tigers since Friday.
The mainstream Tigers were in "full control of the eastern districts" following their advance against the breakaway Eastern Tigers, said spokesman Agnes Bragadottir of the European cease-fire monitoring team.
Sri Lanka's military chief, meanwhile, said that if asked, he was ready to give protection to Eastern Tigers' leader, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan.
"We don't know where he is, but if he asks for protection, we can give him so," Gen. Lionel Balagalle, who heads Sri Lanka's 100,000-strong armed forces, told The Associated Press.
The government in the past has given protection to Tiger deserters. "This has been our policy and we will stick to it," he said.
Military sources in Colombo said they believe Muralitharan - known as Karuna - had fled from his main base in Thoppigala. The area is about 120 kilometers north of Colombo.
Muralitharan split with the mainstream Tigers early last month in a dispute over regional rivalry and political strategy, taking 6,000 of the group's 15,000 fighters and claiming control over a portion of eastern Sri Lanka.
Northern-based rebels on Friday launched an offensive that pushed the Eastern Tigers from their front line along the Verugal River, north of Thoppigala, in heavy fighting that eased by Sunday.
The fighting between Tamil militants - not far from territory controlled by the Sinhalese-dominated government - has risked drawing in the Sri Lankan army and reviving the tropical island's civil war.
Separatist Tamils started fighting the government in 1983 in a war that was halted by a February 2002 cease-fire accord, after having claimed nearly 65,000 lives.
Military officials reached in eastern Sri Lanka early Tuesday said that about 500 more of Muralitharan's cadres dispersed overnight and left the area for their homes. It wasn't immediately known if they left under the direction of Muralitharan or simply abandoned their posts, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, the renegade faction abandoned its massive Meenaham military base, home to thousands of fighters and weaponry, rebel and military sources said.
"According to information we have received, Karuna seems to have given up," Eric Solheim, a key broker for the Norwegian-backed peace process, told The Associated Press. "We are still uncertain about Karuna's destiny."
Military officials have said the unconfirmed death toll from the heavy fighting starting Friday was 33, including civilians. </span>
[size=16]இதே AP ஊடுதான் கருணா தனது பிளவு குறித்து முதல் முதலில் அறிவித்திருந்தார் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது...!
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