THE renegade rebel army of a commander who defected from the Tamil Tiger separatists and placed Sri Lanka’s cease-fire in jeopardy was falling apart yesterday, following their retreat from battle with the mainstream guerrillas, military sources said.

Tamil Tiger guerrillas advanced on a heavily armed breakaway faction today in a vicious gun and mortar battle that killed at least nine people, wounded 20 and imperilled Sri Lanka’s fragile two-year-old cease-fire.

The alliance of President Chandrika Kumaratunga emerged as the largest winner in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections, but fell eight seats short of a majority and plans to seek a partner to forge a ruling coalition.

EU external relations commissioner Chris Patten arrived in Sri Lanka today to strengthen efforts to resume stalled peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels.

SRI LANKA’S president has declared a state of emergency, deepening the country’s political crisis as her political rival was set to meet with US President George W Bush in Washington.

Snipers, believed to be Tamil Tiger rebels, killed a top Tamil politician in the northern Tamil city of Jaffna, in Sri Lanka, today, military officials said.

The Tamil Tigers today refused to disband its dreaded suicide bomb squad, but reiterated it was committed to peace while negotiating an end to Sri Lanka’s 19-year civil war.

The Sri Lankan government has lifted a ban on the Tamil Tiger rebels, paving the way for peace talks to end the island nation’s 19-year civil war.

Three government representatives in Sri Lanka have travelled to rebel-held territory to hold the first talks with Tamil Tiger guerrillas in seven years.