“If they won’t let us go back to our land, then cancel our citizenship and send us to another country,” said Chitharaval Somasundara, 55, who was once a farmer.

“For us Tamils, this is the way it is,” he said. “For Sinhalese this would not happen.”

Though it appears to be on the verge of crushing the insurgency on the battlefield, diplomats and other analysts say, the government’s military offensive may only be causing more resentment among the Tamils and sowing the seeds of future unrest. More...Discuss this story Published: Sat Mar 21 21:37:34 EDT 2009

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman, said the troops are consolidating in the Mullaithivu district's Iranapalai area which is regarded as the Tamil Tigers' intelligence operations headquarters.

Meanwhile, Minister of Media Laxman Yapa Abeywardena told reporters here Saturday that the military believes that the final stage of the battle would happen during the next 2 weeks.

"We warn the public to be on alert for desperate action by the LTTE. They could resort to destructive action. There could be acts of terror in the south of the country", Abeywardene said.

The military also said that at least 20 Tiger rebels have been killed in sniper attacks by the military on Friday.

Most killings by military snipers against the rebels on a single day came at Puthukudyiruppu west and Iranapalai area, officials added.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels More...Discuss this story Published: Sat Mar 21 14:46:32 EDT 2009

Prabhakaran and Charles, who is believed to be the head of the 'Air Tigers', were spotted in the 'no fire zone' in Pudukudiyyirippu in non-military attire and the duo come out occasionally to mix with civilians.

"The LTTE leader has been seen with his son Charles Anthony Seelan in public. The duo, most of the time, are hiding in an underground bunker," the defence ministry said quoting sources.

More...Discuss this story Published: Sat Mar 21 11:04:30 EDT 2009