A renegade group of the Tamil Tigers were retreating Monday from an offensive by the main rebel group, renewing hopes that the cease-fire in Sri Lanka's civil war would remain intact, military sources said. The sources were not sure if renegade rebel leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralithanran — also known as Karuna — had fled the area or remained holed up at his base in Thoppigala, about 75 miles north of Colombo. "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."
| Well, that's a hell of a thing. What about fighting to the last man and the last bullet? What about taking ten of the enemy with your when you peg out? Let's get some corpses going there! |
| Worlds going straight to hell. Nobody wants to fight to the death any more. |
| The popcorn has lost its flavor, hasn't it? |
He said rebels from the main Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam had requested a meeting with European cease-fire monitors, the first since the feud between the two guerrilla groups broke out last month. Hagrup Haukland, the monitors' deputy chief, said talks were scheduled for Tuesday. Fighting between the two rebel factions is believed to have killed nearly three dozen fighters and had cast doubt on whether a two-year truce between the government and the main guerrilla outfit could survive. The Tamil Tigers launched an offensive Friday to regain control over some 6,000 breakaway fighters in the east. Military officials have given an unconfirmed death toll of 33, including civilians. Thousands of residents have fled.
| That's it? 33 dead guys? That's a pretty piss poor internecine conflict, I'd say. |
|