| Army capture the Pooneryn area from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |
| 17 Nov 2008 |
| On 15 November 2008 the Sri Lankan army announced that it has captured the Pooneryn area from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels. With the seizure of Pooneryn, the military completed the capture of the western coast of Sri Lanka and, for the first time since 1993, has gained access to a land route that brings supplies to the northern Jaffna Peninsula. The military takeover will significantly reduce the high cost of living for residents who used to get essential supplies by sea or air. The military reported that it had encountered stiff resistance overnight as troops fought through marshlands of Pooneryn.
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| Tamil's attack power station & army base |
| 29 Oct 2008 |
| On 28 October 2008 the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) hit a power station in Colombo and an army base near Thalladi in two separate air strikes. A report by the Sri Lankan military stated that light aircraft piloted by the LTTE hit the Kelanitissa power station at approximately 2330 local time. A fire was reported at the power station, but the facility did not sustain significant damage. Shortly before the attack on the power plant, another air strike occurred at Thalladi military camp, located approximately 150 mi/240 km north of Colombo, causing minor damage. The Sri Lankan military has previously claimed to have shot down light aircraft operated by the LTTE, but it has provided no evidence The attack on the power plant is the first by LTTE aircraft near Colombo in more than a year. It came even as the Sri Lankan military reported advances against the LTTE's forces near LTTE's stronghold in northern Sri Lanka.
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| Main roads in Colombo subject to road closures |
| 24 Oct 2008 |
| On 21 October, the Sri Lankan Government announced that main roads between central Colombo and Parliament may be subject to road closures for security reasons, when Parliament is sitting. You should always exercise caution when travelling along the main routes to Parliament.
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| Tamil Tigers attack 2 merchant ships |
| 22 Oct 2008 |
| The Tamil Tigers have attacked two merchant ships carrying supplies to Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, badly damaging one, defence officials say.
Navy sailors on board the ships fired and destroyed two of the rebel boats and captured a third.
The Tigers have not commented. The Jaffna peninsula is held by the government but cut off by territory controlled by the rebels.
The attack happened in the seas off northern Sri Lanka before dawn.
Three Tamil Tiger boats attacked two merchant ships heading for the Jaffna peninsular which were carrying what the Navy said were humanitarian supplies for civilians.
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| Suicide bomber targets government minister in a suburb of Colombo |
| 09 Oct 2008 |
| On 9 October 2008 a suicide bomber targeted a government minister in a suburb of Colombo. The attack occurred in the town of Boralwegamuwa, located 6 mi/10 km east of Colombo. One person was killed and at least four others were injured in the incident. Reports indicate that the bomber detonated the explosives as the minister's convoy passed through. A government spokesperson stated that a female suicide bomber perpetrated the attack and that the minister was unharmed. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack; however, authorities suspect the Tamil Tigers.
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| Many dead or injured in suicide attack |
| 06 Oct 2008 |
| A suicide blast in the Sri Lankan town of Anuradhapura has killed at least 27 people, including a former senior general, according to the army.
Maj Gen Janaka Perera, a controversial commander in the Jaffna peninsula in the 1990s, died alongside his wife.
More than 80 people were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the United National Party office near a bus depot, officials said.
They blamed the attack on separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.
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| The Sri Lankan military launch offensive |
| 03 Oct 2008 |
| The Sri Lankan military launched an offensive against the main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) headquarters in the town of Kilinochchi on 3 October 2008. Military commanders stated that a massive air raid bombarded militant positions as ground troops moved to within 2 mi/4 km of the LTTE political office headquarters. The Sri Lankan government reported that at least 42 militants have been killed while LTTE representatives claim that the attack also took the lives of two innocent civilians. Officials at the Defense Ministry in Colombo have indicated that the new offensive is part of an overall effort to use the Sri Lankan military to defeat LTTE rebels.
The fierce clashes came as U.N. humanitarian aid arrived in northern Sri Lanka to be delivered to refugees from the fighting. A U.N. convoy reportedly delivered at least 800 tons of food to an estimated 200,000 people who have been affected by the conflict. The Sri Lankan government suspended humanitarian aid deliveries in early September because of the intense clashes with LTTE rebels.
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| Bomb blast in Colombo market |
| 29 Sep 2008 |
| A bomb blast ripped through a market area in Colombo on 29 September 2008. Authorities stated that at least five people were injured when the bomb, which was hidden inside a van, was remotely detonated. The market where the bombing occurred is located in the Pettah neighborhood near the offices of several government agencies. The injured victims were reportedly being treated at Colombo National Hospital. The bombing also damaged several buildings surrounding the market. Although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, police officers stated that they suspect Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrillas carried out the attack.
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| Explosion attributed to a hand-grenade |
| 09 Sep 2008 |
| On 8 September 2008 an explosion attributed to a hand-grenade occurred in the Pettah neighborhood of central Colombo. At least nine people were injured in the attack, which military sources state was not related to the current conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The government stated that the incident was related to the criminal underworld. No fatalities were reported in the attack.
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| A large explosion hit Colombo |
| 02 Sep 2008 |
| A large explosion hit Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, on 30 August 2008. The blast occurred in Pettah, a busy market area in close proximity to the main bus station and railway terminal. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which injured at least 45 people. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels likely carried out the bombing after the military increased its attacks on territories occupied by the rebels. |
| Tamil Tigers carry out aerial attack on naval base |
| 28 Aug 2008 |
| On 26 August 2008 the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel group carried out an aerial strike against a naval base in Trincomalee, the first such attack in a year. Reports state that a light aircraft dropped two explosive devices on a dockyard in the base, injuring at least four sailors. Jets were scrambled to intercept the light aircraft; however, witnesses believe that the aircraft escaped. The attack serves as evidence that the LTTE still possesses its limited airstrike capability. |
| Military deployed as political violence increases |
| 22 Aug 2008 |
| On 21 August 2008 the Sri Lankan military was deployed to several provinces in Sri Lanka as political violence has increased in these areas in the run-up to local elections scheduled for 23 August 2008. Reports state that soldiers have been sent to the North Central province, located approximately 112 mi/180 km northeast of Colombo, the capital, and to Sabaragamuwa province, located 62 mi/100 km south-east of Colombo. Reports state that offices of opposition parties were attacked and set on fire, while assailants attacked several politicians. Election monitors stated that violence had increased sharply in the previous two days, as instances of voter intimidation, shootings and physical attacks against party supporters have been reported.
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| From 27 July until 4 August 2008 Colombo will host the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit. |
| 24 Jul 2008 |
| Heads of state from several countries in the region -- including India, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- will attend. As such, security in Colombo will be extremely tight with large sections of the city restricted to residents and official personnel only.
Sources indicate that some areas of the capital are restricted, with limited movement for people and vehicles, and other areas are off limits for civilians. Four high security zones have been declared in the city, and access to roads from the Ceramic roundabout and Kollupitiya up to Old Parliament road has been restricted. Additional designated high security areas include the Sri Lanka Ports Authority area, Police Headquarters area, Janadhipathi Mawatha and Galle Face. Security arrangements for residents living in off-limit areas require security identification of the individuals and their vehicles. Special security arrangements have also been instituted for Bandaranaike International Airport; Fort Colpetty and Slave Island railway stations will be closed.
Transportation disruptions and high levels of vehicular traffic are likely in the areas surrounding the restricted neighborhoods. Furthermore, while the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel group has declared a unilateral ceasefire during the summit, this does not preclude other transnational terror groups or a rogue LTTE faction from targeting the summit. Foreigners should avoid travel to Colombo at this time if at all possible and should keep current with local news to minimize disruptions if in the city.
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| Rebels will observe ceasefire during conference |
| 22 Jul 2008 |
| On 21 July 2008 the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel group announced that it will observe a ceasefire during the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference scheduled to take place in Colombo on 27 July - 4 August. Despite the LTTE announcement, security in Colombo will be extremely high during the summit, and thousands of police and military personnel have been deployed throughout the city.
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| 10th July strike will affect all government services |
| 09 Jul 2008 |
| On 9 July 2008 the union that represents Sri Lankan government workers announced that its members will go on strike on 10 July to agitate for salary increases. The strike is expected to affect all aspects of government services. Representatives for the union claim that the majority of government workers' salaries have have not kept up with the rate of inflation. The Sri Lankan government countered that given the current condition of Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, the government cannot afford to give workers a pay increase without cutting into defense spending.
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| Security increased for LTTE commemoration |
| 08 Jul 2008 |
| On 7 July 2008 the Sri Lankan government increased security in Colombo and issued warnings of possible Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attacks as the LTTE celebrated the 21st anniversary of its first suicide attack. The LTTE commemorated the approximately 350 members who have staged suicide attacks as part of the LTTE struggle against Sri Lankan authorities. The Sri Lankan government stated, however, that the warning is only a precaution and that it has not received intelligence that the LTTE is planning bombings in southern Sri Lanka, including Colombo.
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