Sri Lankan Leader Says Tamil Rebels Nearly Defeated -- Washington PostCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Feb. 4 -- Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa proclaimed Wednesday that the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam would be "completely defeated in a few days," potentially signaling an end to a 25-year insurgency that is one of the world's longest ongoing conflicts.
The rebels' last holdouts are penned in a small zone in the north of the island nation, and government forces say they are confident that they are close to crushing the insurgency. Analysts, however, say guerrilla fighting might persist for months.
Civilian casualties have been significant: U.N. officials said that 52 civilians were killed in the past day in one sector and that cluster bombs had struck a hospital.
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More News On The Sri Lanka War
Sri Lankan President Says Tamil Tiger Rebels Almost Defeated -- VOA
Sri Lanka President Claims Victory -- Daily Telegraph
Sri Lanka: No cease-fire, rebels must surrender -- Yahoo News/AP
Sri Lanka says no letup in offensive on Tigers -- Yahoo News/AP
Sri Lanka rejects international call for ceasefire with Tamil Tigers -- The Guardian
Sri Lanka rejects dialogue appeal -- BBC
Sri Lankan Ratnasiri Wickremanayake PM offers amnesty to Tigers -- The Australian
President: Rebel defeat has united Sri Lanka -- CNN
Civilians Flee Sri Lanka War Zone -- Voice Of America
Sri Lanka says biggest rebel sea base taken -- AP
Dozens Killed in Sri Lanka Fighting -- Washington Post
'Dozens Dead' in Sri Lanka Fighting -- BBC News
Sri Lanka: Tragedy in a Tear-Shaped Country -- Toronto Star opinion
Sri Lanka: victory announcements are far too premature -- Guardian commentary