But while rebels reported that an intense bombardment was under way, defence officials said only a few mortar rounds had been fired towards the harbour at Kankesanthurai, on the northern edge of the Jaffna peninsula. More... Published: Sat May 20 20:33:41 EDT 2000

In its statement the Tigers say "The Sri Lankan army suffered another serious military debacle in the war for the liberation of Jaffna peninsula as Chavakachcheri town, the capital of Thenmarachchi division, fell to the armed forces of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."

The rebels say the town came under its control this evening after 12 hours of heavy fighting. The LTTE claim that "columns of heavily armed commandos of the Tamil Tigers supported by artillery and mortar fire launched a multi-pronged attack on the Chavakachcheri town in the early hours of the morning today. Intense fighting continued through the day."

Chavakacheri town, the rebels say, fell at around 6 p.m. SLT this evening.

The Tigers meanwhile claim that in the heavy fighting yesterday and last night, the LTTE overran military bases at Maduvil, Nunavil and Sarasalai junction.

The military was not available for comment. Published: Sat May 20 11:51:03 EDT 2000

The editor of the 'Uthayan' newspaper was warned by military officials last week of having breached the present censorship and was reprimanded for publishing two stories. One, which stated the Sri Lankan President had broken into tears when meeting with the Indian Air Force Chief who paid a visit to Sri Lanka this month, and another story which gave names of five civilians including two children killed by bombs dropped by Sri Lanka Airforce Kifir jets at Pooneryn in Sri Lanka's northern peninsula. Published: Sat May 20 11:29:07 EDT 2000

A three member Norwegian delegation due in Sri Lanka on Monday May 22, is scheduled to visit India soon after meeting with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Published: Sat May 20 11:29:07 EDT 2000

Approached by a private TV media crew at the airport, the Minister said he was going to Bangalore to deliver an address at a function organised by the Sathya Sai Foundation there, and ruled out any official purpose for his visit. More.. Published: Sat May 20 11:21:53 EDT 2000

The government's Special Media Information Center said in a statement released in Colombo that the air force and navy ''continue to maintain a regular supply of all essentials to Jaffna through the Palaly Air base and KKS Harbour.''

More.. Published: Sat May 20 11:01:36 EDT 2000

The fighting left 17 guerrillas and nine soldiers dead and 19 soldiers wounded. More.. Published: Sat May 20 10:52:25 EDT 2000

The group will consist of Members of Parliament from both the Peoples Alliance and the United National Party.

A spokesman for the group asserted that the time is opportune for such a tour and will help unite all politicians from different divides to come together as the nation faces its present crisis. Published: Sat May 20 02:13:27 EDT 2000

The Tiger statement issued soon after the Bishop of Jaffna, Thomas Saundaranayagam made a similar appeal for the government to heed a rebel call for a ceasefire, says, "As a genuine endeavour to avoid the continuing bloodbath and to bring an end to the escalating violence and war, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has made a fervent appeal today to thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers entrapped in the Jaffna peninsula to lay down arms and surrender. The LTTE has pledged that those who lay down arms will be treated with dignity and honour and handed over to the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross within 24 hours."

The call for surrender according to the rebels is being announced by loud speakers at different battlefronts in the northern theatre of war and also by the Voice of Tigers radio. The LTTE have given a week for Lankan soldiers to lay down arms and surrender.

The government however is on record as stating that it will "fight to the last man in order to hold Jaffna."

Meanwhile the rebel statement further says that it is also making consistent appeals to the Tamil civilian masses to move to safe areas from battle zones allocating specific locations in Valigamam West and Vadamarachi division of the Jaffna peninsula. Published: Sat May 20 01:44:41 EDT 2000

The Tigers claim that areas of Madduvil and Sarasali have fallen to the LTTE. Heavy fighting the rebels say is still raging at the strategically crucial Sarasali junction.

The LTTE meanwhile allege they have been appealing to the Tamil civilians in the Chavakachcheri sector to move to areas of safety. Published: Sat May 20 01:44:41 EDT 2000

The delegation will be led by the new Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Raymond Johansen. He will be accompanied by Special Advisor, Mr. Evik Solheim and Executive Officer Ms. Kjersti Tromsdal.

Scheduled to arrive on Monday May 22, the delegation will meet with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The discussions are expected to cover the present war situation, examine whether there is any possibility of starting talks with the LTTE as earlier envisaged and what role India could play in such talks. Published: Sat May 20 01:44:41 EDT 2000

"Tamils in Sri Lanka are our brothers, we have to look after them. This is our party's (Shiv Sena) stand," Joshi told reporters here. More.. Published: Sat May 20 00:46:14 EDT 2000

The clandestine Voice of Tigers Radio station said seven Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in the artillery attack on Palali airport, built by Britain when they ruled Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon.

``Our fighters are closing in and we will take the decisive action to take Jaffna soon,'' the station said in the broadcast, monitored in the northern town of Vavuniya.

If the air base falls, the 40,000 government troops and support staff will be trapped with nowhere to go in the northern Jaffna Peninsula, which the Tamils want as part of a homeland.

Earlier Thursday, the Voice of Tigers radio said at least 102 soldiers were killed in the past 24 hours. The government has said only 24 were wounded.

Details of damage or casualties were not immediately known, and journalists were barred from the battle areas. But sources close to the rebels said one shell fell on a military hospital.

Military officials confirmed the attack on the air base, but declined to give details.

Earlier, the rebels said they had captured the strategic Kaithady air base, two miles east of Jaffna, which the rebels controlled from 1990-1995, when they lost it after a 50-day war.

``Kaithady garrison town, with its heavily fortified military bases, fell to the fighting formations of the Liberation Tigers after 12 hours of ferocious combat,'' the rebels said on their Web site.

There was no independent confirmation of the report.

The rebels also claimed they had won control of two roads leading into Jaffna, but the government denied it had lost control of the roads.

However, it said security forces had withdrawn their defenses from yet another area near Jaffna, at Ariyalai about three miles southeast of the city.

The rapid rebel advance to encircle Jaffna prompted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to express concern for the safety of the city's 500,000 residents.

``The military situation has put civilians at great risk and has already caused casualties among the people of Jaffna,'' High Commissioner Sadako Ogata said in a statement from Geneva.

``I am appealing to all parties to ensure that civilians are protected from the escalating hostilities. They must be allowed to move to areas considered safe,'' she said.

The Indian Navy has rescued scores of Sri Lankans who fled the fighting in boats across the narrow Palk Strait that separates Sri Lanka from southern India.

The UNHCR said in a statement that about 400 Sri Lankan refugees had arrived in India since the fighting intensified in Jaffna last month. India already has some 100,000 refugees from Sri Lanka.

The minority Tamils claim they face discrimination from the Sinhalese majority, which controls the government and the military. The rebels are trying to establish a homeland in the north and east for the country's 3.2 million minority Tamils. The 17-year war has killed more than 62,000 people. Published: Fri May 19 12:16:52 EDT 2000

Bishop Saundaranayagam has reiterated that the government should begin a dialogue to find a political end to the escalating crisis and thus save thousands of lives presently endangered by the fire of both, Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. Published: Fri May 19 05:47:39 EDT 2000

The ship was prevented from leaving as it was scheduled to berth at Jaffna's northern Kankasenthurai Harbour (KKS) located within the Palaly base complex.

The LTTE have claimed since Wednesday to have fired heavy artillery into the military base at Palaly and destroyed its main communication tower and hit the air strip. 8 soldiers are reported to have been killed as a result. Military spokesman, Brigadier Palitha Fernando however told Lacnet today that rebel fire fell within the "general area of Palaly but did not hit the mlitary base."

The last passenger ship to Jaffna sailed on April 1 this year. Several thousand civilians are reported to be waiting passage from Sri Lanka's Eastern port Trincomalee to Jaffna's northern harbour at Kankasanthurai. Published: Fri May 19 05:47:39 EDT 2000

Brigadier Fernando reiterated that the LTTE had fired some mortars into the general area of Palaly yesterday, but insisted, "none fell within the military complex."

The Voice of Tigers in a radio broadcast last evening however said, the LTTE had fired heavy artillery which hit the main communications tower at the Palaly military base killing two policeman on duty while artillery fire also hit the forces northern air strip.

Independent sources asserted that Sri Lanka Airforce flights into Palaly were suspended for a brief period of time as a result. Published: Fri May 19 02:09:36 EDT 2000

Brigadier Palitha Fernando, Military Spokesman refuted this claim saying there was no big military base at Kaithaday, "only some troop deployments." The Brigadier said that as a result of the fighting in this area 8 Officers and 36 soldiers were wounded. "None were killed" he added.

The LTTE meanwhile stated, "Strategically important Kaithady garrison town with its heavily fortified military bases fell to the fighting formations of the Liberation Tigers after 12 hours of ferocious combat. Situated about 5 kilometres at the entrance of the Jaffna city, Kaithady formed the buffer zone with crucial supply routes to the government troops based in Jaffna city and Palaly airport. The A9 highway linking Navatkuli bridge and the main Kopay Road that cuts through Kaithady, have been brought under the control of the LTTE."

Brigadier Fernando said there is no truth to this claim of the rebels that the Navatkuli bridge is now under Tiger control.

Meanwhile fighting is reported to continue in the outskirts of Jaffna's coastal areas. The LTTE has also denied accusations by the government which say the rebels have been pounding artillery and mortar shells on heavily populated areas. Published: Fri May 19 02:09:36 EDT 2000