LTTE delegation returns as Air Force targets its well-known camps

Colombo, Nov 1 (UNI) The Sri Lankan Air Force today bombed ''identified locations'' of the LTTE in the Eastern Batticaloa district in retaliation to the alleged mortar and artillery shelling by the rebels on Army camps in Batticaloa even as the rebel delegation flew back after failed talks in Geneva.

''The LTTE intensified their artillery and mortar attacks on the Kajuwatte and Mankerny Army camps in the Batticaloa district since last night. In retaliation, the Air Force conducted air strikes this morning on identified locations where LTTE artillery and mortars are deployed,'' a top military official told UNI.

The fresh fighting has erupted as the LTTE negotiating team led by its political wing head S P Thamilselvan, accompanied by the Norwegian embassy diplomats, returned to the rebel-heartland of Wanni this morning via the Katunayake International Airport in a special military helicopter. The team returned after the two-day of abortive talks with the government of Sri Lanka in Geneva.

Meanwhile, the LTTE Peace Secretariat website claimed that the Sri Lankan military was firing artillery shells from Valaichenai and Karadikulam military camps towards the rebel-held areas of Vaharai, Pannichchankerni, Kirumichchai and Alankulam in the Batticaloa district.

''Sri Lankan Air Force bombed Kaddumurivu area of Batticaloa.

People were fleeing the area since morning. The pattern of firing and bombing are indicative of a large-scale military offensive being planned by the Sri Lankan military,'' the rebels said.

However, the military officials attached to the Media Centre for National Security have denied the LTTE allegation as ''baseless'' and claimed that the military was only carrying out ''retaliatory and defensive actions'' to neutralise the rebel's attacks.

The two-day direct talks between the government and Tamil tiger rebels in Geneva during the weekend ended up in a virtual failure with the parties failing to agree even on dates for the next round of talks.

At the end of the two-day abortive talks in Geneva, Norway's top peace envoy and Minister of International Development, Eric Solheim said although the discussions between the parties focused on the need to address urgent humanitarian situation, mainly in the Northern Jaffna peninsula, ''no agreement was reached between the two parties on how to address the humanitarian crisis''.

UNI XC KD ND1738