The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) must also be prepared to compromise on its demand for a separate state in Sri Lanka's north and east, said the country's US envoy, Bernard Goonetilleke.

The LTTE wants "to establish a separate state by hook or by crook," he said at a forum in Washington.

"Against this backdrop, the question we ask from those who urge the government to seek a negotiated settlement is, are they asking us to negotiate with the LTTE once again," he said. More... Published: Fri Jan 25 21:57:24 EST 2008

Seven soldiers were killed in the battles on Thursday, the latest in an intensification of the 25-year civil war following the official scrapping of a truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam last week.

"We have taken a target today morning using fighter aircrafts and the target was a LTTE transport base located in Selvanagar in Kilinochchi," said air force spokesman Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya. More... Discuss this story Published: Fri Jan 25 03:58:07 EST 2008

The ex-eastern Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) commander is accused by rights groups of torture, abductions, killings and child soldier recruitment both before and after splitting from the mainstream rebels in 2004.

Analysts say he switched his support to the government, and rights groups accuse security forces of turning a blind eye to his actions before his own group ousted him last year and he fled to Britain.

British officials say they have asked Sri Lanka how Karuna -- real name V. Muralitharan -- was able to acquire an apparently genuine Sri Lankan diplomatic passport under a false name.

The Metropolitan police and immigration authorities arrested him in London late last year and he pleaded guilty to magistrates before Christmas. More... Discuss this story Published: Fri Jan 25 15:52:45 EST 2008