``We have taken the target from where they (rebels) have been firing mortars at our troops in ,'' military spokesman, Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, said.

Earlier, the rebels warned the Sri Lankan government that it could face ``serious repercussions'' after an air force raid allegedly killed 16 Tamils a day before, including eight children, in northwestern Mannar. Discuss this story Published: Wed Jan 3 09:31:44 EST 2007

Government Defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwelle said the SLMM was considering moving its operations from the conflict affected areas to Colombo owing to security concerns and had suggested operating a ‘rapid deployment force’ from the city.

“We have intelligence reports that the LTTE is carrying out mass scale child soldier recruitment in the absence of the SLMM,” Minister Rambukwelle said.

The monitors have curtailed their district operations and told the government peace secretariat (SCOPP) on Sunday that their mandate under the CFA signed in 2001 was to record violations and not monitor claymore mine explosions or fighting between government troops and the LTTE.

“They told us they are here, for example if a cow is stolen by a neighbour, to report that. I am not exaggerating. That is what they said. They also said there is a security risk for More... Published: Wed Jan 3 11:05:22 EST 2007

All of the attacks occurred while the officials were in moving motorcades, leading the military to speculate that information about VIP convoys was being passed on.

The rebels have been fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east for the country's 3.1 million ethnic Tamils, who have suffered decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.

The nearly two-decade civil war eased in 2002 when Norway brokered a cease-fire, but the truce has recently come under serious threat with near-daily violence. At least 3,689 combatants and civilians were killed in fighting last year, according to the Defense Ministry's latest figures.

Before the cease-fire, the conflict claimed the lives of about 65,000 people and displaced another 1.6 million. Discuss this story Published: Tue Jan 2 12:22:03 EST 2007