Sri Lankan fighter jets pound rebel areas

Sri Lankan fighter jets pounded Tamil Tiger positions on besieged Jaffna peninsula today.

Rebels accused the military of launching a major offensive after the separatists agreed to resume peace talks.

Army forces also fired rockets and heavy artillery into rebel-controlled areas, forcing civil servants and school students near the battlefront to return home fearing the fighting could spread across the peninsula.

“They have begun a large-scale operation along the northern defence line,” said Irasiah Ilanthirayan from the rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi.

He said the military started shelling rebel positions late yesterday and that ground troops had advanced across their front line early today.

“They are advancing from all around the defence line,” Ilanthirayan said.

Military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said the rebels started attacking army positions overnight, wounding two soldiers, adding that the fighting was continuing.

“The Air Force launched strikes on Tamil Tiger positions to neutralise their attack,” Samarasinghe said.