January 18, 2009: The terrorist organization that popularized the use of suicide bombers, the Sri Lankan LTTE, is dying in a small patch of jungle, abandoned by the Tamil minority it killed in the name of, and hunted by Sri Lankan soldiers it tried to terrorize into submission for three decades. It's yet another example of how suicide bombings don't work. In fact, this particular weapon actually backfires. Consider the facts.
The Tamil separatists of Sri Lanka (the LTTE) pioneered the modern use of suicide bombers over twenty years ago. Between 1984 and 2006, the LTTE carried out 346 suicide bombing attacks (killing 3,262 civilians and wounding another 3,494). Through 2000, the LTTE accounted for most of the suicide bombing attacks on the planet. The LTTE was particularly effective at attacking senior politicians and security officials. But each attack just made their opponents angrier. The LTTE was eventually defeated, partly by an enraged Sri Lankan population, and partly dissention and demoralization within their own ranks.
Hezbollah was the next to pick up on suicide bombers. While Hezbollah claims to represent the Shia minority in Lebanon, it has brought itself increasing resistance from the majority of Lebanese by acting in support for foreign nations. Actually, Hezbollah has largely abandoned suicide bombing, apparently noting the downside of the tactic.
Palestinian terrorists adopted the use of suicide bombing against Israel in 2000. The Israelis eventually developed tactics that defeated this weapon, The Palestinian attacks destroyed the substantial support within Israel for a Palestinian peace deal, and increased support for stronger measures against Palestinian terrorism. The Palestinian terrorists are still at it, although many Palestinians admit that the tactic has failed, and has been counterproductive.
Al Qaeda also adopted suicide bomber tactics, particularly in Iraq. This turned out to be a major error. So many Moslems were killed, particularly women and children, that Arab public opinion turned against al Qaeda. Even Sunni Arabs in Iraq have been fighting al Qaeda in Iraq, despite the fact that al Qaeda is committing all this mayhem in the name of Sunni Arabs.
Al Qaeda began using suicide bombers in Pakistan six years ago, and were promptly taken apart by an enraged Pakistani government, with much public support. This, despite many Islamic conservatives in the government. Al Qaeda was largely driven out of most of Pakistan, and confined to the tribal areas along the Afghan border. Here, the Taliban had a lot of influence, and al Qaeda has convinced the Taliban to support a suicide bomber campaign in Afghanistan. This campaign has been even less successful than previous ones. The Taliban do not have the experienced support personnel (bomb makers and bomber handlers) to make most of the attacks successful by any measure. Meanwhile, most of the victims are Afghan civilians. Naturally, Afghans see these foreigners (Afghans are difficult to recruit as suicide bombers) as murderers who do not have Afghan interests at heart.
Suicide bombing is described as a weapon of the weak. What it cannot be described as is a weapon of the victorious. In the last few decades, whoever used suicide bombers not only failed to gain anything, but saw their cause harmed in the process. You can draw your own conclusions.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Suspected Tamil rebels attack civilians in southern Sri Lanka
Colombo (dpa) - At least two civilians were hacked to death, three injured and four more remain missing after Tamil rebels carried out an attack in the southern part of the country, a military spokesman said Monday.
The group of civilians had entered the woods as they tended their cattle in the Maligawila, Monragala, area, 360 kilometres south-east of the capital, on Sunday when they were attacked, the Defence Ministry said.
A search operation has been mounted in the area to locate the missing.
The attack came as government troops were in the final phase of their operation to capture the Tamil rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu in the north-eastern part of the country.
The military said that rebels may be trying to carry out diversionary tactics in the wake of heavy military pressure on them in the northern part of the country.
The group of civilians had entered the woods as they tended their cattle in the Maligawila, Monragala, area, 360 kilometres south-east of the capital, on Sunday when they were attacked, the Defence Ministry said.
A search operation has been mounted in the area to locate the missing.
The attack came as government troops were in the final phase of their operation to capture the Tamil rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu in the north-eastern part of the country.
The military said that rebels may be trying to carry out diversionary tactics in the wake of heavy military pressure on them in the northern part of the country.
INDIA WOULD NOT INTERFERE IN WAR; CORNERED LTTE IN MULAITIVU WILL HAVE TO FACE THE MIGHT OF THE ARMY WITH PRABHAKARAN “MISSING”
After meeting Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Memnon Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama in Kandy said India will not interfere with the present war conducted in Sri Lanka to eliminate terrorism from the island nation.
“During the talks the world ceasefire was never mentioned,” the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister told reporters in Kandy when he visited the Heads of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters of the Siamese sect of Buddhism to obtain their blessings
Some South Indian politicians had demanded that India should impose a ceasefire in the war in Sri Lanka and stop the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Although the Sri Lanka army commander, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka believe that the LTTE Supremo might have escaped the Mulaitivu area where he fled from Kilinochchi , when it fell into the hands of the Sri Lanka Army. He has also predicted victory sooner than he thought, at the time of planning of the long running Eelam war 4 . He said at an annual dinner he had hosted for war correspondents that the LTTE resistance in the war was weaker than he expected.
Judging from the LTTE leader’s attachment to his family and food the Sri Lanka Army Commander had said that Prabhakaran would not have stayed in Mulaitivu when the army was so close. He refused to speculate where he had fled but was sure he would have fled by the Mulaitivu sea.
Although Prabhakaran expected his followers to swallow the cyanide capsules the army commander said he would neither commit suicide nor get caught like Iraqi President Sadam Hussain did.
As Fonseka was speaking, Sri Lanka army troops were marching towards the heart of Mulaitivu where about 1000 trained fighters of the LTTE were cornered to an area restricted to 30 kilometers (about 18 miles) by 15 kilometers ( about 9 miles) by nearly 50,000 Sri Lankan soldiers.
In the forward march by the soldiers they captured a highly fortified garrison at Maruthampuvel, the army said. They ran over a Tiger boat-manufacturing factory there where troops found two fast attack vessels and seven small boats used by rebels for suicide attacks, Defence Ministry further said. Their naval wing called Sea Tigers rams small vessels packed with explosives into government naval ships in suicide attacks.
To demonstrate the sorry plight of the Tamil Tigers Army Commander further told reporters, “When the war started, I used 50 map sheets to plan it. Now I only need one sheet to plan it,”
Some local people have speculated that Prabhakaran would have been taken by a submarine of a Scandinavian country to give him refuge.
“During the talks the world ceasefire was never mentioned,” the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister told reporters in Kandy when he visited the Heads of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters of the Siamese sect of Buddhism to obtain their blessings
Some South Indian politicians had demanded that India should impose a ceasefire in the war in Sri Lanka and stop the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Although the Sri Lanka army commander, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka believe that the LTTE Supremo might have escaped the Mulaitivu area where he fled from Kilinochchi , when it fell into the hands of the Sri Lanka Army. He has also predicted victory sooner than he thought, at the time of planning of the long running Eelam war 4 . He said at an annual dinner he had hosted for war correspondents that the LTTE resistance in the war was weaker than he expected.
Judging from the LTTE leader’s attachment to his family and food the Sri Lanka Army Commander had said that Prabhakaran would not have stayed in Mulaitivu when the army was so close. He refused to speculate where he had fled but was sure he would have fled by the Mulaitivu sea.
Although Prabhakaran expected his followers to swallow the cyanide capsules the army commander said he would neither commit suicide nor get caught like Iraqi President Sadam Hussain did.
As Fonseka was speaking, Sri Lanka army troops were marching towards the heart of Mulaitivu where about 1000 trained fighters of the LTTE were cornered to an area restricted to 30 kilometers (about 18 miles) by 15 kilometers ( about 9 miles) by nearly 50,000 Sri Lankan soldiers.
In the forward march by the soldiers they captured a highly fortified garrison at Maruthampuvel, the army said. They ran over a Tiger boat-manufacturing factory there where troops found two fast attack vessels and seven small boats used by rebels for suicide attacks, Defence Ministry further said. Their naval wing called Sea Tigers rams small vessels packed with explosives into government naval ships in suicide attacks.
To demonstrate the sorry plight of the Tamil Tigers Army Commander further told reporters, “When the war started, I used 50 map sheets to plan it. Now I only need one sheet to plan it,”
Some local people have speculated that Prabhakaran would have been taken by a submarine of a Scandinavian country to give him refuge.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Jayalalitha deplores LTTE's use of human shield in Wanni
"Sri Lankan Tamils are being used as human shields by separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)", former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa said on Saturday (Jan 17).
"In Sri Lanka what happens now, Sri Lankan Tamils captured by the LTTE cannot move anywhere. Tamils were used as shield by LTTE. If LTEE keeps them there then there will be dire situation for Sri Lanka's innocent Tamils..." the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader said, addressing a public rally in Chennai.
"The Tigers in Sri Lanka figure on U.S., European Union and Indian terrorism lists for widespread bombings and assassinations. In 1991, they were charged with killing India's former Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lanka has vowed to crush the Tamil Tigers militarily", she further said.
"In Sri Lanka what happens now, Sri Lankan Tamils captured by the LTTE cannot move anywhere. Tamils were used as shield by LTTE. If LTEE keeps them there then there will be dire situation for Sri Lanka's innocent Tamils..." the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader said, addressing a public rally in Chennai.
"The Tigers in Sri Lanka figure on U.S., European Union and Indian terrorism lists for widespread bombings and assassinations. In 1991, they were charged with killing India's former Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lanka has vowed to crush the Tamil Tigers militarily", she further said.
Army 59 Div captures LTTE camp and a boat manufacturing factory- South of Puthukkudiyiruppu
Sri Lanka Army 59 Divisions soldiers lead by Brigadier Nandana Udawatta yesterday (Jan 17) entered into the South of Puthukkudiyiruppu jungle areas. According to the battlefield reports, troops have captured a highly fortified LTTE camp and a boat manufacturing factory from the Maruthampuvel area during yesterday's (Jan 17) operations.
Infantrymen of 12 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (12 SLLI) extended their forward boundaries further towards Puthukkudiyiruppu LTTE stronghold amidst intense resistance from the terrorists. Troops following heavy clashes, found 7 bodies of male LTTE cadres along with 7 T-56 riffles with 1000 ammunition and 1 light machine gun (LMG). Troops are now consolidating their positions about 6 km south of Puthukkudiyiruppu.
Meanwhile, infantrymen of 14 Gajaba Regiment (14 GR) captured a highly fortified LTTE camp located in the Maruthampuvel area following daylong clashes with the terrorists. Troops found 06 overhead bunkers, 02 permanent buildings, and 06 temporary huts inside the terrorist camp. Also, troops found 3 T-56 riffles and a radio communication set following clashes erupted elsewhere. Intercepted radio communications revealed heavy damages to the terrorists.
Infantrymen of 4 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment (4 VIR) captured a sophisticated boat manufacturing facility of the LTTE located north of Maruthampuvel last night. Troops found 2 fast attack boats, 2 water jets and 7 small boats used for suicide missions inside the facility suspected to be funded by foreign NGOs. Elsewhere, troops engaged in daylong clashes with the terrorist and found a body of a slain LTTE cadre.
Infantrymen of 12 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (12 SLLI) extended their forward boundaries further towards Puthukkudiyiruppu LTTE stronghold amidst intense resistance from the terrorists. Troops following heavy clashes, found 7 bodies of male LTTE cadres along with 7 T-56 riffles with 1000 ammunition and 1 light machine gun (LMG). Troops are now consolidating their positions about 6 km south of Puthukkudiyiruppu.
Meanwhile, infantrymen of 14 Gajaba Regiment (14 GR) captured a highly fortified LTTE camp located in the Maruthampuvel area following daylong clashes with the terrorists. Troops found 06 overhead bunkers, 02 permanent buildings, and 06 temporary huts inside the terrorist camp. Also, troops found 3 T-56 riffles and a radio communication set following clashes erupted elsewhere. Intercepted radio communications revealed heavy damages to the terrorists.
Infantrymen of 4 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment (4 VIR) captured a sophisticated boat manufacturing facility of the LTTE located north of Maruthampuvel last night. Troops found 2 fast attack boats, 2 water jets and 7 small boats used for suicide missions inside the facility suspected to be funded by foreign NGOs. Elsewhere, troops engaged in daylong clashes with the terrorist and found a body of a slain LTTE cadre.
Hospitals in Northern Sri Lanka packed with unclaimed bodies of LTTE rebels
Jan 18, Vavuniya: The morgue in the Vavuniya hospital in Northern Sri Lanka is packed with the bodies of the slain LTTE cadres, hospital officials said.
According to the sources 31 unclaimed LTTE bodies are lying at the hospital morgue currently. Security forces have handed over another 12 LTTE bodies including five of female Tigers to the hospital this evening.
Vavuniya hospital officials said the morgue of the hospital is now filled to the capacity with the LTTE bodies.
The hospital officials meanwhile have buried 49 unclaimed LTTE bodies few days ago upon the approval from the Courts.
Reportedly dead bodies of the LTTE cadres are piling up in other hospitals in the region also including Trincomalee, Mannar and Anuradhapura hospitals.
More than 75 bodies of LTTE cadres have so far been buried with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last week in cemeteries of Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Mannar and Anuradhapura Districts as no LTTE officials have come forward to claim the bodies.
The ICRC resumed its transport duties on Friday (16) after a brief interruption due to the unavailability of security guarantee from both sides. As a result of this situation passage between the government and LTTE controlled areas was interrupted for few days and some missions such as exchanging of dead bodies did not take place.
According to the sources 31 unclaimed LTTE bodies are lying at the hospital morgue currently. Security forces have handed over another 12 LTTE bodies including five of female Tigers to the hospital this evening.
Vavuniya hospital officials said the morgue of the hospital is now filled to the capacity with the LTTE bodies.
The hospital officials meanwhile have buried 49 unclaimed LTTE bodies few days ago upon the approval from the Courts.
Reportedly dead bodies of the LTTE cadres are piling up in other hospitals in the region also including Trincomalee, Mannar and Anuradhapura hospitals.
More than 75 bodies of LTTE cadres have so far been buried with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last week in cemeteries of Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Mannar and Anuradhapura Districts as no LTTE officials have come forward to claim the bodies.
The ICRC resumed its transport duties on Friday (16) after a brief interruption due to the unavailability of security guarantee from both sides. As a result of this situation passage between the government and LTTE controlled areas was interrupted for few days and some missions such as exchanging of dead bodies did not take place.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sirasa TV Studio Complex Attacked Sri Lanka: The Attack On Sirasa TV
Sri Lanka: The Attack On Sirasa TV An Early Warning Of Worse Things To Come
The massive attack on the Sirasa TV station brings gloomy predictions of things to come in the very near future to a country which is already bedeviled by lawlessness, violence and corruption. The leader of the opposition characterised the action as an act of state terrorism. Some of the leaders of the trade union movement have predicted a development towards dictatorship by the Rajapakse regime, in collaboration with the armed forces. The journalists have condemned the attempt to destroy media freedoms altogether whilst the United States characterised the incident as a blatant attack. However, there is no rational basis to expect things to become any better but, in fact, reason to believe that worse things are yet to come. If there was to be political assassinations of opposition leaders, trade union leaders, journalists, human rights activists and others who stand for democracy, rule of law and human rights it would be the natural course of things arising out of a buildup which has alre
The real issue is as to why the opposition political parties and other democratic forces in the country have still proved incapable of dealing with this massive lawlessness, widespread corruption and the ever-increasing violence? There has not yet emerged, in the country, a willingness to accept the depth of the collapse of the rule of law and the virtual loss of confidence in all public institutions. The opposition protest has remained as lifeless murmurs and a clear articulation of the grievances of the entire population is not taking place.
The failures of the opposition, which is the only force that could change the course of the present buildup towards complete lawlessness, remain in the inability of those who are parties to such opposition to make a clear declaration to the people on the following issues: the abolition of the executive presidency so as to make it possible for a rational government to emerge again to deal with all political issues politically and not by violence and military means as is happening now; immediately resuscitate all the public authorities by the elimination of politicisation and making the possibility for the functioning of these institutions in a rational manner; to legislate for an effective corruption control system which will overcome the legal and practical problems of the present system of control of bribery and corruption; a promise to review the situation of the Sri Lankan police as a matter of urgency and bring about radical reforms for policing to take place within the framewor k of the rule of law only
The pleas made to this regime for the conduct of investigations into blatant crimes and gross abuses of human rights have fallen on deaf ears. Under the formula of balancing human rights and national security, as often declared by the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, the failure to carry out government obligations to investigate crimes and maintain law and order is justified. The simple explanation of this policy of balancing human rights and national security means the suspension of the law and human rights under the pretext of pursuing national security. The nation has never been more insecure and the cause of the nation’s insecurity is the ruling regime itself as it always happened in times of transition from a democracy into a dictatorship.
The attack on Sirasa TV is the culmination of many attacks on the media the opposition and human rights groups. The only difference this time is the massive extent of the attack. The attack was carried out by a large group of people who were technically aware of the task they had gone to perform. When the opposition is facing that kind of massive attack it is not enough to declare them as acts of state terrorism. It is necessary to provide clear leadership to the people to safeguard their basic democratic rights and to undo a legacy of lawlessness that has existed in the country for several decades. The opposition needs to accept its own contribution to this state of collapse. However, before more of the opposition institutions and individuals become victims of this process it is time to provide all the people with an alternative democratic solution on the basis of rule of law and respect for human rights.
ENDS
The massive attack on the Sirasa TV station brings gloomy predictions of things to come in the very near future to a country which is already bedeviled by lawlessness, violence and corruption. The leader of the opposition characterised the action as an act of state terrorism. Some of the leaders of the trade union movement have predicted a development towards dictatorship by the Rajapakse regime, in collaboration with the armed forces. The journalists have condemned the attempt to destroy media freedoms altogether whilst the United States characterised the incident as a blatant attack. However, there is no rational basis to expect things to become any better but, in fact, reason to believe that worse things are yet to come. If there was to be political assassinations of opposition leaders, trade union leaders, journalists, human rights activists and others who stand for democracy, rule of law and human rights it would be the natural course of things arising out of a buildup which has alre
The real issue is as to why the opposition political parties and other democratic forces in the country have still proved incapable of dealing with this massive lawlessness, widespread corruption and the ever-increasing violence? There has not yet emerged, in the country, a willingness to accept the depth of the collapse of the rule of law and the virtual loss of confidence in all public institutions. The opposition protest has remained as lifeless murmurs and a clear articulation of the grievances of the entire population is not taking place.
The failures of the opposition, which is the only force that could change the course of the present buildup towards complete lawlessness, remain in the inability of those who are parties to such opposition to make a clear declaration to the people on the following issues: the abolition of the executive presidency so as to make it possible for a rational government to emerge again to deal with all political issues politically and not by violence and military means as is happening now; immediately resuscitate all the public authorities by the elimination of politicisation and making the possibility for the functioning of these institutions in a rational manner; to legislate for an effective corruption control system which will overcome the legal and practical problems of the present system of control of bribery and corruption; a promise to review the situation of the Sri Lankan police as a matter of urgency and bring about radical reforms for policing to take place within the framewor k of the rule of law only
The pleas made to this regime for the conduct of investigations into blatant crimes and gross abuses of human rights have fallen on deaf ears. Under the formula of balancing human rights and national security, as often declared by the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, the failure to carry out government obligations to investigate crimes and maintain law and order is justified. The simple explanation of this policy of balancing human rights and national security means the suspension of the law and human rights under the pretext of pursuing national security. The nation has never been more insecure and the cause of the nation’s insecurity is the ruling regime itself as it always happened in times of transition from a democracy into a dictatorship.
The attack on Sirasa TV is the culmination of many attacks on the media the opposition and human rights groups. The only difference this time is the massive extent of the attack. The attack was carried out by a large group of people who were technically aware of the task they had gone to perform. When the opposition is facing that kind of massive attack it is not enough to declare them as acts of state terrorism. It is necessary to provide clear leadership to the people to safeguard their basic democratic rights and to undo a legacy of lawlessness that has existed in the country for several decades. The opposition needs to accept its own contribution to this state of collapse. However, before more of the opposition institutions and individuals become victims of this process it is time to provide all the people with an alternative democratic solution on the basis of rule of law and respect for human rights.
ENDS
We captured Elephant Pass, control vital highway: Rajapaksa
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa Friday announced that the troops fighting their way into the remaining Tamil Tigers' strongholds
in the north have captured Elephant Pass garrison, taking full control of entire stretch of the A-9 Jaffna-Kandy main highway after almost a decade.
"Our troops by noon today (Friday) fully captured the Elephant Pass. With this our troops have completely liberated the A9 main highway from the LTTE," President Rajapaksa announced in a televised address to the nation Friday evening.
He said it was for the first time after 23 long years that the government has taken full control of the 142-km long A-9 Jaffna-Kandy main supply route from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
"The army's 53 and 55 Division troops advancing southwards along the A-9 highway achieved this success by capturing the entire Elephant Pass area after nine years from the LTTE," he said.
The capture of the Elephant Pass is another huge blow to the movement after the fall of their politico-administrative capital Kilinochchi exactly a week ago.
The capture of Elephant Pass will enable the military to reopen the Jaffna-Kandy supply route for public and troops from the south to the north. The troops in Jaffna would no longer be relying on supplies through ships. The transport on ships was very costly for the military.
Encouraged by their latest success of capturing the politico-administrative town of the LTTE after months of fierce fighting, the ground troops backed by armour, artillery and aerial bombardment advanced from various directions towards Elephant Pass despite fierce LTTE resistance.
Kilinochchi town, which was captured by the advancing troops Jan 2, is located 350 km north of here.
Elephant Pass, lying about 12 km away from Kilinochchi on the Jaffna-Kandy main highway, is the isthmus that connects the northern Jaffna peninsula to the rest of the country. javascript:void(0)
in the north have captured Elephant Pass garrison, taking full control of entire stretch of the A-9 Jaffna-Kandy main highway after almost a decade.
"Our troops by noon today (Friday) fully captured the Elephant Pass. With this our troops have completely liberated the A9 main highway from the LTTE," President Rajapaksa announced in a televised address to the nation Friday evening.
He said it was for the first time after 23 long years that the government has taken full control of the 142-km long A-9 Jaffna-Kandy main supply route from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
"The army's 53 and 55 Division troops advancing southwards along the A-9 highway achieved this success by capturing the entire Elephant Pass area after nine years from the LTTE," he said.
The capture of the Elephant Pass is another huge blow to the movement after the fall of their politico-administrative capital Kilinochchi exactly a week ago.
The capture of Elephant Pass will enable the military to reopen the Jaffna-Kandy supply route for public and troops from the south to the north. The troops in Jaffna would no longer be relying on supplies through ships. The transport on ships was very costly for the military.
Encouraged by their latest success of capturing the politico-administrative town of the LTTE after months of fierce fighting, the ground troops backed by armour, artillery and aerial bombardment advanced from various directions towards Elephant Pass despite fierce LTTE resistance.
Kilinochchi town, which was captured by the advancing troops Jan 2, is located 350 km north of here.
Elephant Pass, lying about 12 km away from Kilinochchi on the Jaffna-Kandy main highway, is the isthmus that connects the northern Jaffna peninsula to the rest of the country. javascript:void(0)
Sri Lanka Army captures Elephant Pass, A-9 road
Today evening our troops liberated Elephant Pass fully."
Jan 09, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Army has captured the strategic Elephant Pass, the causeway linking the Jaffna Peninsula to the mainland.
This military victory against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) follows on the heels of the capture of Paranthan, Kilinochchi, Pallai, and Soranpattu, and was made possible by the troops of the 53rd and 55th Divisions, supported by the new Mechanized Infantry Regiment and the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The A-9 road from Vavuniya to Jaffna is now completely under the control of government forces.
"Today evening our troops liberated Elephant Pass fully," Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a televised address, confirming defense reports.
Address to the Nation by H. E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Friends,
Even before the dawn of 2009 I have told you that this would be a year of great victory for our heroic forces.
2009 dawned with our troops taking full control of the Paranthan area. By January 2nd our troops were able to liberate Kilinochchi too from the clutches of terror.
I address you today at a time when our heroic forces have achieved another great and historic victory. By this evening our troops have completely freed the Elephant Pass area from the LTTE. Similarly, bringing Point Pedro and Devundara (Dondra Head) together the A-9 route has been completely freed from the clutches of the LTTE.
Friends,
Elephant Pass was lost to our troops 9 years ago. On that day our motherland lost 359 of its heroic troops. 349 went missing and nearly 2500 troops were injured. From that day we have on several occasions tried to reach Elephant Pass through Muhamalai. In the past 3 years a considerable number of our troops sacrificed their lives in such efforts.
Today, the troops of the 53rd the 55th divisions of the Army have spread their power across Muhamalai to Elephant Pass. It is our duty on this occasion to pay homage to all of our troops who have paid the supreme sacrifice towards this victory.
I need not explain to you that the A-9 route is symbolic of the unity that exists between the North and the South of our country. Four years prior to this, our people who traveled on the A 9 route had to do so under the yoke of an illegal terrorists order. The LTTE obtained several million rupees from the fraudulent taxes they imposed on the people who used the A9 route. Our people had the misfortune at that time live in the face of such humiliation. This part of our history will never be forgotten by us.
Our heroic troops are not only engaged in freeing the territory held by the Tigers. They are engaged in the great humanitarian battle to bring peace, freedom and democracy to the Tamil people of the North. Today they have launched the battle to hand over as your heritage a Sri Lanka that is free of terrorism.
I am aware that today our people wholeheartedly greet the victory of our heroic troops. However, together with that joy, there are efforts to belittle these victories, to turn the attention of the people to other directions. There is a conspiracy with certain international forces to achieve this sinister objective.
You would have already realized that the aim of these conspirators is to level unfounded charges against the Army Commander who works with the greatest dedication to achieve these victories, and by this to destroy the morale of our troops, destabilize the country, tarnish the image of the country internationally, and make room for various international forces to interfere to grab our gains away from us.
We are aware that such conspiracies arise when a country moves ahead without giving in to external pressures. It is for no reason other than to embarrass our country internationally that my friend and Member of Parliament Joseph Pararajasingam was assassinated while in church at Christmas service.
What purpose other than tarnishing of the country's image internationally could there be in carrying out a bomb attack on the office of the Udayan newspaper published in Jaffna on World Press Freedom Day?
At a time when Thoppigala was being freed from the hold of terrorists an effort was made to distract from the importance of this victory by the abduction of a journalist from an English language newspaper and assaulting him.
After many years our troops freed Vedithaltivu dealing major defeat to the terrorists. The day after that a camp for the Internally Displaced Persons at Vavuniya was set ablaze.
Who is it that stands to gain from all this? Is not the aim of those who plan these incidents the belittling of the victories of our heroic troops? We have a duty to expose to the country the persons behind these conspiratorial operations. One must not mistake these conspiracies as being against me or my government. This is a conspiracy against the entire country by those who have been driven to fear due to the successes of our security forces.
Friends,
We are now engaged in giving new life to the unitary status of our country. We are enlivening democracy in our land. The defeat of terrorism means giving life to an honorable peace and freedom. We are dedicated to give our children the opportunity to travel freely from Devundara to any part of the country and for all our people, whether Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim Burgher, Malay or of any community to live together and in unity.
Let us all join hands to achieve that victory. Let us be ready to take forward the country that our heroic troops are bestowing to us through their victories. This is the responsibility that our motherland asks both from you and me. It is my belief that you will take the lead in achieving this admirable goal.
I wish you every success in future.
Jan 09, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Army has captured the strategic Elephant Pass, the causeway linking the Jaffna Peninsula to the mainland.
This military victory against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) follows on the heels of the capture of Paranthan, Kilinochchi, Pallai, and Soranpattu, and was made possible by the troops of the 53rd and 55th Divisions, supported by the new Mechanized Infantry Regiment and the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The A-9 road from Vavuniya to Jaffna is now completely under the control of government forces.
"Today evening our troops liberated Elephant Pass fully," Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a televised address, confirming defense reports.
Address to the Nation by H. E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Friends,
Even before the dawn of 2009 I have told you that this would be a year of great victory for our heroic forces.
2009 dawned with our troops taking full control of the Paranthan area. By January 2nd our troops were able to liberate Kilinochchi too from the clutches of terror.
I address you today at a time when our heroic forces have achieved another great and historic victory. By this evening our troops have completely freed the Elephant Pass area from the LTTE. Similarly, bringing Point Pedro and Devundara (Dondra Head) together the A-9 route has been completely freed from the clutches of the LTTE.
Friends,
Elephant Pass was lost to our troops 9 years ago. On that day our motherland lost 359 of its heroic troops. 349 went missing and nearly 2500 troops were injured. From that day we have on several occasions tried to reach Elephant Pass through Muhamalai. In the past 3 years a considerable number of our troops sacrificed their lives in such efforts.
Today, the troops of the 53rd the 55th divisions of the Army have spread their power across Muhamalai to Elephant Pass. It is our duty on this occasion to pay homage to all of our troops who have paid the supreme sacrifice towards this victory.
I need not explain to you that the A-9 route is symbolic of the unity that exists between the North and the South of our country. Four years prior to this, our people who traveled on the A 9 route had to do so under the yoke of an illegal terrorists order. The LTTE obtained several million rupees from the fraudulent taxes they imposed on the people who used the A9 route. Our people had the misfortune at that time live in the face of such humiliation. This part of our history will never be forgotten by us.
Our heroic troops are not only engaged in freeing the territory held by the Tigers. They are engaged in the great humanitarian battle to bring peace, freedom and democracy to the Tamil people of the North. Today they have launched the battle to hand over as your heritage a Sri Lanka that is free of terrorism.
I am aware that today our people wholeheartedly greet the victory of our heroic troops. However, together with that joy, there are efforts to belittle these victories, to turn the attention of the people to other directions. There is a conspiracy with certain international forces to achieve this sinister objective.
You would have already realized that the aim of these conspirators is to level unfounded charges against the Army Commander who works with the greatest dedication to achieve these victories, and by this to destroy the morale of our troops, destabilize the country, tarnish the image of the country internationally, and make room for various international forces to interfere to grab our gains away from us.
We are aware that such conspiracies arise when a country moves ahead without giving in to external pressures. It is for no reason other than to embarrass our country internationally that my friend and Member of Parliament Joseph Pararajasingam was assassinated while in church at Christmas service.
What purpose other than tarnishing of the country's image internationally could there be in carrying out a bomb attack on the office of the Udayan newspaper published in Jaffna on World Press Freedom Day?
At a time when Thoppigala was being freed from the hold of terrorists an effort was made to distract from the importance of this victory by the abduction of a journalist from an English language newspaper and assaulting him.
After many years our troops freed Vedithaltivu dealing major defeat to the terrorists. The day after that a camp for the Internally Displaced Persons at Vavuniya was set ablaze.
Who is it that stands to gain from all this? Is not the aim of those who plan these incidents the belittling of the victories of our heroic troops? We have a duty to expose to the country the persons behind these conspiratorial operations. One must not mistake these conspiracies as being against me or my government. This is a conspiracy against the entire country by those who have been driven to fear due to the successes of our security forces.
Friends,
We are now engaged in giving new life to the unitary status of our country. We are enlivening democracy in our land. The defeat of terrorism means giving life to an honorable peace and freedom. We are dedicated to give our children the opportunity to travel freely from Devundara to any part of the country and for all our people, whether Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim Burgher, Malay or of any community to live together and in unity.
Let us all join hands to achieve that victory. Let us be ready to take forward the country that our heroic troops are bestowing to us through their victories. This is the responsibility that our motherland asks both from you and me. It is my belief that you will take the lead in achieving this admirable goal.
I wish you every success in future.
Sri Lanka troops inside key Elephant Pass - govt
COLOMBO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan troops are fighting inside Elephant Pass, the strategic gateway to the Jaffna Peninsula held by the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, the government said on Friday.
"We haven't captured it. We are moving in and fighting is going on," defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, who is also a minister, told Reuters. Some media reports said it had been captured, but Rambukwella said that was premature.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) could not be reached for comment, but have repeatedly vowed to reverse a string of defeats that have prompted many to ask if a ground war that started in 1983 is finally nearing its end.
The former army base is as strategic as it is symbolic for the military. Its capture will put all of Jaffna in government hands for the first time since 2000, when the army lost Elephant Pass in one of its worst defeats in the 25-year war.
It will also open up the main north-south A-9 road linking Jaffna to the mainland, freeing up a mechanised division to join the battle now moving east toward the LTTE's last stronghold in the eastern port of Mullaittivu and its environs.
The LTTE have been fighting one of Asia's longest insurgencies to create a separate state for Sri Lanka's minority Tamils, many of whom complain of mistreatment since the Sinhalese ethnic majority took over at independence from Britain in 1948.
But many Sinhalese say Tamils enjoyed unfair advantages in terms of education and government jobs in colonial times. The Tigers are on U.S., E.U. and Indian terrorism lists after carrying out hundreds of assassinations and suicide bombings, including against Tamils who challenged them.
TIGERS ON THE RUN
The bulk of ethnically Tamil Jaffna has been under military control since 1995, but the Tigers had until this week held a mine- and bunker-strewn 12 km (7 mile) by 6 km (3.5 mile) strip on the narrow neck connecting to the mainland.
All that changed when the army captured the rebels' self-proclaimed capital of Kilinochchi a week ago, which freed up three divisions of soldiers to attack the Jaffna theatre from the north and south simultaneously.
The military and analysts have said the Tigers have been moving their heavy weapons and battle-hardened personnel estimated to number around 2,000 toward Mullaittivu, facing heavy odds in both Kilinochchi and Jaffna.
Caught in the war zone are what aid groups estimate to be around 230,000 civilians who fled their homes.
Rights groups say the Tigers do not let them leave and use them as human shields, forcible conscripts and battlefield labourers. Those that do escape, end up in government camps where they face scrutiny as LTTE sympathisers, rights groups say.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the government is committed to keeping civilians safe, upon which the international community and giant neighbour India insist. The LTTE denies it mistreats civilians and says they support their cause.
Past civilian crises in the war zone led to outside intervention in the war, which Rajapaksa is keen to avoid with victory close at hand and his plan to capitalise on that with early elections seeming more likely, analysts say.
"We haven't captured it. We are moving in and fighting is going on," defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, who is also a minister, told Reuters. Some media reports said it had been captured, but Rambukwella said that was premature.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) could not be reached for comment, but have repeatedly vowed to reverse a string of defeats that have prompted many to ask if a ground war that started in 1983 is finally nearing its end.
The former army base is as strategic as it is symbolic for the military. Its capture will put all of Jaffna in government hands for the first time since 2000, when the army lost Elephant Pass in one of its worst defeats in the 25-year war.
It will also open up the main north-south A-9 road linking Jaffna to the mainland, freeing up a mechanised division to join the battle now moving east toward the LTTE's last stronghold in the eastern port of Mullaittivu and its environs.
The LTTE have been fighting one of Asia's longest insurgencies to create a separate state for Sri Lanka's minority Tamils, many of whom complain of mistreatment since the Sinhalese ethnic majority took over at independence from Britain in 1948.
But many Sinhalese say Tamils enjoyed unfair advantages in terms of education and government jobs in colonial times. The Tigers are on U.S., E.U. and Indian terrorism lists after carrying out hundreds of assassinations and suicide bombings, including against Tamils who challenged them.
TIGERS ON THE RUN
The bulk of ethnically Tamil Jaffna has been under military control since 1995, but the Tigers had until this week held a mine- and bunker-strewn 12 km (7 mile) by 6 km (3.5 mile) strip on the narrow neck connecting to the mainland.
All that changed when the army captured the rebels' self-proclaimed capital of Kilinochchi a week ago, which freed up three divisions of soldiers to attack the Jaffna theatre from the north and south simultaneously.
The military and analysts have said the Tigers have been moving their heavy weapons and battle-hardened personnel estimated to number around 2,000 toward Mullaittivu, facing heavy odds in both Kilinochchi and Jaffna.
Caught in the war zone are what aid groups estimate to be around 230,000 civilians who fled their homes.
Rights groups say the Tigers do not let them leave and use them as human shields, forcible conscripts and battlefield labourers. Those that do escape, end up in government camps where they face scrutiny as LTTE sympathisers, rights groups say.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the government is committed to keeping civilians safe, upon which the international community and giant neighbour India insist. The LTTE denies it mistreats civilians and says they support their cause.
Past civilian crises in the war zone led to outside intervention in the war, which Rajapaksa is keen to avoid with victory close at hand and his plan to capitalise on that with early elections seeming more likely, analysts say.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Sirasa TV crew attacked and their equipment destroyed
24th May 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Free Media Movement (FMM) was shocked and dismayed to see visuals of a SIRASA TV media vehicle and a TV camera smashed by thugs with party political affiliations on 19th May 2008, the day of a significant Buddhist holiday in Sri Lanka. All the windows and the windscreen of the vehicle were in smithereens after repeated blows againt them by the professional grade TV camera of the crew. The crew consisted of journalist Lalith Rajapaksha, a Producer of Sirasa TV Network, cameraman Chanadana Amarasinghe and the driver P.P. Kostha, who had to be hospitalized as a result of severe beating he received from the gang.
Sri Lanka has not seen this nature of attack against a media crew by any group in the recent past.
According to the complaint made to Kiribathgoda police it transpires that on 19th May 2008, the Sirasa late night TV crew were filming pandols and lanterns erected for the Buddhist festival Vesak in the town of Kiribathgoda. When the crew was getting ready to film a pandol close to the market a gang surrounded them, threateningly asked them to stop filming the pandol and to leave the area immediately. Suddenly however, the gang stopped the crew saying that they had to seek the advice of a Minister. After a phone call to the Minister was made, the gang asked the driver to move the vehicle to a different location. They then snatched the TV camera, smashed it on the ground and hit the vehicle windows with it. The crew heard the gang talking among themselves to set fire to the vehicle with the crew. Sensing the life threatening danger looming the crew get out of the vehicle and mingled with other people present to see the religious decorations.
What is more incredible is that according to the crew, this incident took place as Police were looking on from close quarters. We find this behaviour of Police abhorrent and condemn their unwillingness to intervene and protect the lives and property of the journalists.
The Kiribathgoda town is part of the Kelaniya constituency where infamous Minister of Labour Mervyn Silva acts as the violently self-styled organizer for the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Mervyn Silva had in the past openly threatened Sirasa media personal to not visit “his” area to cover any event and said if it happens he will not hesitate to use his weapons and his hands against them.
The FMM strongly suspects that the Minister instigated this attack on the TV crew. The Sirasa TV network has consistently covered the egregious violations of media freedom by the Minister, of which there have been many in the past.
We urgently demand an impartial investigation into this incident and once again ask the Government to reign in the pathologically miscreant Minister. Failure to do this will only strengthen the fact and perception that the regime aids and abets the violation of media freedom, the freedom of expression and the freedom of movement that are basic human rights.
Sri Lanka has not seen this nature of attack against a media crew by any group in the recent past.
According to the complaint made to Kiribathgoda police it transpires that on 19th May 2008, the Sirasa late night TV crew were filming pandols and lanterns erected for the Buddhist festival Vesak in the town of Kiribathgoda. When the crew was getting ready to film a pandol close to the market a gang surrounded them, threateningly asked them to stop filming the pandol and to leave the area immediately. Suddenly however, the gang stopped the crew saying that they had to seek the advice of a Minister. After a phone call to the Minister was made, the gang asked the driver to move the vehicle to a different location. They then snatched the TV camera, smashed it on the ground and hit the vehicle windows with it. The crew heard the gang talking among themselves to set fire to the vehicle with the crew. Sensing the life threatening danger looming the crew get out of the vehicle and mingled with other people present to see the religious decorations.
What is more incredible is that according to the crew, this incident took place as Police were looking on from close quarters. We find this behaviour of Police abhorrent and condemn their unwillingness to intervene and protect the lives and property of the journalists.
The Kiribathgoda town is part of the Kelaniya constituency where infamous Minister of Labour Mervyn Silva acts as the violently self-styled organizer for the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Mervyn Silva had in the past openly threatened Sirasa media personal to not visit “his” area to cover any event and said if it happens he will not hesitate to use his weapons and his hands against them.
The FMM strongly suspects that the Minister instigated this attack on the TV crew. The Sirasa TV network has consistently covered the egregious violations of media freedom by the Minister, of which there have been many in the past.
We urgently demand an impartial investigation into this incident and once again ask the Government to reign in the pathologically miscreant Minister. Failure to do this will only strengthen the fact and perception that the regime aids and abets the violation of media freedom, the freedom of expression and the freedom of movement that are basic human rights.
Sirasa TV Studio Complex Attacked
The studio complex of MTV / MBC Media Network, the broadcaster of popular TV channel - Sirasa TV in Depanama, Pannipitiya was attacked by an unidentified armed gang today (06) early morning.
Attack took place at around 2.00 a.m. today morning.
The gamb set fire to Main Control Room (MCR) of station and it was completely damaged, network's special telecast reported. Networks engineerer however managed to continue channel's broadcasting, channel said.
Media right organizations condemned this attack, naming Sirasa TV as the only TV platform in county for alternative ideas. They blamed government for not taking action to guarantee the security of media institutes.
The Station was also attacked two days earlier.
Sirasa media network was continully criticized by several goverment ministers. It's usual to see Sinhala Nationalist organization campaigning against the station blaming it as LTTE supportive channel, saying that it's owner is a Tamil person.
MTV is the broadcaster of Sri Lanka's only dedicated Tamil language TV channel - Shakthi TV.
Attack took place at around 2.00 a.m. today morning.
The gamb set fire to Main Control Room (MCR) of station and it was completely damaged, network's special telecast reported. Networks engineerer however managed to continue channel's broadcasting, channel said.
Media right organizations condemned this attack, naming Sirasa TV as the only TV platform in county for alternative ideas. They blamed government for not taking action to guarantee the security of media institutes.
The Station was also attacked two days earlier.
Sirasa media network was continully criticized by several goverment ministers. It's usual to see Sinhala Nationalist organization campaigning against the station blaming it as LTTE supportive channel, saying that it's owner is a Tamil person.
MTV is the broadcaster of Sri Lanka's only dedicated Tamil language TV channel - Shakthi TV.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Israel Rebuffs Peace Efforts, Driving Deeper Into Gaza
GAZA — Backed by fire from air, sea and land, Israeli troops and tanks pushed deeper into Gaza on Monday after rebuffing diplomatic efforts to end the 10-day assault.
Even as President Nicolas Sarkozy of France readied a new quest for a cease-fire, Israeli forces took control of rocket-launching areas and surrounded Gaza City after slicing through the center of the beleaguered territory on Sunday.
Despite the onslaught, Hamas militants continued to lob rockets into southern Israel, witnesses said, as Gaza residents, fearful of growing casualties, faced severe power shortages and other deprivations. The reported death toll of Palestinians passed 500 since the assault began, including 100 said to be civilians.
Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, insisted Monday that Israel was “not only defending its right to defend itself” but was also waging a regional campaign “against extremism and against terror.”
She was speaking at a press conference after meeting with envoys from the European Union, whose rotating presidency is currently held by the Czech Republic.
Ms. Livni defended Israel’s actions, saying Israel had acted to “change the equation” that existed before it struck against Hamas when, she said, Hamas had been able to fire rockets at will and Israel showed restraint.
From now on, "When Israel is targeted, Israel is going to retaliate," she said.
Hospital officials in Gaza said 81 Palestinians had died so far in the ground offensive, which is now in its third day, and more than 400 had been injured.
Witnesses and hospital officials reported on Monday that 11 members of one family, including five children, died in one air strike and, according to Reuters, three children were killed in a separate incident as Israeli shellfire fell on Gaza.
At Gaza City’s Shifa main hospital, survivors of the Al-Samouni family said Israeli forces had ordered them to evacuate their homes in the Zaitoun neighborhood as the ground offensive moved closer toward the city. Family members said they had moved into another apartment house when it was struck by a missile fired from an Israeli warplane at 6 a.m. on Monday.
Masouda Al-Samouni, 20, said she had been preparing food for her 10-month-old son when the missile struck. “He died hungry,” she said in an interview.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group that governs Gaza, had warned that Israeli ground troops would find themselves trapped, resulting in numerous casualties.
Israel reported the death of one soldier during the ground campaign. Four other Israelis, including civilians, were killed by shelling from Gaza since Israel began its assault on Dec. 27. The Israeli military, which said it was checking the reports of civilian deaths, also said it launched 30 air strikes overnight.
Senior Israeli officials said that the fighting could go on for days, if not weeks, and that calls for a cease-fire were premature. Apart from President Sarkozy’s mission to the region, set to begin Monday, the European Union and Egypt are engaged in contacts to try to build a truce. Mr. Sarkozy plans to visit Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus and the West Bank city of Ramallah.
But as the outsiders talked, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak insisted that, while Hamas had “sustained a very heavy blow from us,” Gaza operation was not finished. “We have yet to achieve our objective,” he told Israel Radio.
Israel’s fundamental aim, he said, was “to change the reality of security for the south” of the country, which is threatened by Hamas missiles.
Hamas officials in Gaza said two senior officials from the organization had been invited to Cairo to discuss the crisis with the Egyptian authorities.
As the ground offensive unfolded on Sunday, Israel aimed its power at Hamas’s fighters and infrastructure and said its forces had killed several dozen militants, including a senior leader, and destroyed a smuggling tunnel.
Palestinian officials did not confirm the militants’ deaths, and it was difficult for foreign news organizations to verify Israel’s claims, because journalists have been restricted from entering Gaza.
At Shifa hospital, dozens of casualties seen being brought in over many hours all appeared to be civilians.
Most of the fighting was taking place in northern and eastern Gaza, in areas not far from the Israeli border. But at least five civilians were killed and many wounded on Sunday when Israeli shells or rockets landed in the market of Gaza City while people were stocking up on supplies.
Even as President Nicolas Sarkozy of France readied a new quest for a cease-fire, Israeli forces took control of rocket-launching areas and surrounded Gaza City after slicing through the center of the beleaguered territory on Sunday.
Despite the onslaught, Hamas militants continued to lob rockets into southern Israel, witnesses said, as Gaza residents, fearful of growing casualties, faced severe power shortages and other deprivations. The reported death toll of Palestinians passed 500 since the assault began, including 100 said to be civilians.
Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, insisted Monday that Israel was “not only defending its right to defend itself” but was also waging a regional campaign “against extremism and against terror.”
She was speaking at a press conference after meeting with envoys from the European Union, whose rotating presidency is currently held by the Czech Republic.
Ms. Livni defended Israel’s actions, saying Israel had acted to “change the equation” that existed before it struck against Hamas when, she said, Hamas had been able to fire rockets at will and Israel showed restraint.
From now on, "When Israel is targeted, Israel is going to retaliate," she said.
Hospital officials in Gaza said 81 Palestinians had died so far in the ground offensive, which is now in its third day, and more than 400 had been injured.
Witnesses and hospital officials reported on Monday that 11 members of one family, including five children, died in one air strike and, according to Reuters, three children were killed in a separate incident as Israeli shellfire fell on Gaza.
At Gaza City’s Shifa main hospital, survivors of the Al-Samouni family said Israeli forces had ordered them to evacuate their homes in the Zaitoun neighborhood as the ground offensive moved closer toward the city. Family members said they had moved into another apartment house when it was struck by a missile fired from an Israeli warplane at 6 a.m. on Monday.
Masouda Al-Samouni, 20, said she had been preparing food for her 10-month-old son when the missile struck. “He died hungry,” she said in an interview.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group that governs Gaza, had warned that Israeli ground troops would find themselves trapped, resulting in numerous casualties.
Israel reported the death of one soldier during the ground campaign. Four other Israelis, including civilians, were killed by shelling from Gaza since Israel began its assault on Dec. 27. The Israeli military, which said it was checking the reports of civilian deaths, also said it launched 30 air strikes overnight.
Senior Israeli officials said that the fighting could go on for days, if not weeks, and that calls for a cease-fire were premature. Apart from President Sarkozy’s mission to the region, set to begin Monday, the European Union and Egypt are engaged in contacts to try to build a truce. Mr. Sarkozy plans to visit Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus and the West Bank city of Ramallah.
But as the outsiders talked, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak insisted that, while Hamas had “sustained a very heavy blow from us,” Gaza operation was not finished. “We have yet to achieve our objective,” he told Israel Radio.
Israel’s fundamental aim, he said, was “to change the reality of security for the south” of the country, which is threatened by Hamas missiles.
Hamas officials in Gaza said two senior officials from the organization had been invited to Cairo to discuss the crisis with the Egyptian authorities.
As the ground offensive unfolded on Sunday, Israel aimed its power at Hamas’s fighters and infrastructure and said its forces had killed several dozen militants, including a senior leader, and destroyed a smuggling tunnel.
Palestinian officials did not confirm the militants’ deaths, and it was difficult for foreign news organizations to verify Israel’s claims, because journalists have been restricted from entering Gaza.
At Shifa hospital, dozens of casualties seen being brought in over many hours all appeared to be civilians.
Most of the fighting was taking place in northern and eastern Gaza, in areas not far from the Israeli border. But at least five civilians were killed and many wounded on Sunday when Israeli shells or rockets landed in the market of Gaza City while people were stocking up on supplies.
Israeli Forces Push Deeper Into Gaza Strip
JERUSALEM, Jan. 4 -- Israeli ground forces backed by air and naval power pushed deeper into the Gaza Strip on Sunday, engaging in fierce combat with Hamas fighters as they attempted to encircle the coastal region's largest city.
The second day of Israel's ground assault drew fresh international warnings that Gaza's humanitarian crisis would worsen in the coming days. The Palestinian death toll rose to roughly 507, with more than 2,000 wounded, including many civilians, according to United Nations and Palestinian health officials.
An Israeli soldier was fatally wounded in Gaza on Sunday; three Israeli civilians and one soldier have been killed by Hamas rocket and mortar fire inside Israel during the nine days of fighting. Israel insists its offensive is only targeting Hamas, the armed Islamist group that controls Gaza, and says the strip's 1.5 million residents do not face a humanitarian crisis.
"Too many civilians have already died. Women and children and babies are dying, and it has to stop, as the U.N. secretary general has said," said Christopher Gunness, a U.N. spokesman. "We in the U.N., who have 9,000 or 10,000 workers on the ground, are in a much better situation to determine whether there is a humanitarian crisis, which there is, than Israel, which views Gaza through the lens of high-altitude bombers."
Despite growing international criticism, the United States on Sunday blocked the passage of a U.N. Security Council statement urging an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. In Washington, meanwhile, Vice President Cheney said Sunday that Israel did not seek U.S. approval before sending ground troops into Gaza.
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"They didn't seek clearance or approval from us, certainly. They have said, now, for a period of months . . . [that] if the rocketing didn't stop, they felt they had no choice but to take action," Cheney said on CBS's "Face the Nation," adding that Israeli leaders "haven't told me exactly what they planned to do or when they plan to do it."
Israeli tanks and infantry units punched into areas north and south of Gaza City, effectively dividing the strip in two, and by Sunday night were also operating just east of the city, according to witnesses and Israeli military officials. Israeli forces seized control of open areas that Israeli military officials say Hamas uses to launch rockets into southern Israel. More than 500 rockets and mortar shells have landed in southern Israel over the nine days of fighting.
A senior Israeli military officer, speaking to foreign journalists in a conference call, said Israel was prepared to control those areas as long as needed to stop the rocket fire. "We are not speaking about recapturing the Gaza Strip," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "This is not our objective. If we have to hold those areas, to stop the rockets, we will do this."
Israel so far has concentrated its ground forces in the northern half of the strip, where hundreds of thousands of people live in a mix of refugee camps, crowded high-rise neighborhoods and agricultural villages. Meanwhile, Israeli jets and naval ships are bombarding the southern half of the strip, striking tunnels used to bring in weapons from the Egyptian Sinai and targeting Hamas leaders for assassination.
With a little more than a month until Israel holds national elections, pressure has been building for Israeli leaders to use the ground operation not just to weaken Hamas but to paralyze it permanently. Hamas triumphed in parliamentary elections in January 2006, winning day-to-day control of the Palestinian Authority. Amid rising political tension, Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007 from rival Fatah forces, causing a severe split in the Palestinian national movement. Israel has restricted food, medicine and other supplies to the strip in an attempt to end Hamas rocket attacks. In its founding charter, Hamas calls for Israel's destruction.
"This morning I can look every one of you in the eyes and say the government did everything before deciding to go ahead with the operation," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his cabinet Sunday, in his first public comments on the ground offensive. "This operation was unavoidable."
Israeli troops appeared to be drawing closer Sunday to engaging Hamas in densely populated urban areas that are the movement's historic strongholds. The Israeli soldier killed early Sunday afternoon was involved in "a heavy exchange of fire" during a battle close to the Jabalya refugee camp. Another Israeli soldier was severely wounded in the same incident, an Israeli military spokesman said.
The second day of Israel's ground assault drew fresh international warnings that Gaza's humanitarian crisis would worsen in the coming days. The Palestinian death toll rose to roughly 507, with more than 2,000 wounded, including many civilians, according to United Nations and Palestinian health officials.
An Israeli soldier was fatally wounded in Gaza on Sunday; three Israeli civilians and one soldier have been killed by Hamas rocket and mortar fire inside Israel during the nine days of fighting. Israel insists its offensive is only targeting Hamas, the armed Islamist group that controls Gaza, and says the strip's 1.5 million residents do not face a humanitarian crisis.
"Too many civilians have already died. Women and children and babies are dying, and it has to stop, as the U.N. secretary general has said," said Christopher Gunness, a U.N. spokesman. "We in the U.N., who have 9,000 or 10,000 workers on the ground, are in a much better situation to determine whether there is a humanitarian crisis, which there is, than Israel, which views Gaza through the lens of high-altitude bombers."
Despite growing international criticism, the United States on Sunday blocked the passage of a U.N. Security Council statement urging an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. In Washington, meanwhile, Vice President Cheney said Sunday that Israel did not seek U.S. approval before sending ground troops into Gaza.
ad_icon
"They didn't seek clearance or approval from us, certainly. They have said, now, for a period of months . . . [that] if the rocketing didn't stop, they felt they had no choice but to take action," Cheney said on CBS's "Face the Nation," adding that Israeli leaders "haven't told me exactly what they planned to do or when they plan to do it."
Israeli tanks and infantry units punched into areas north and south of Gaza City, effectively dividing the strip in two, and by Sunday night were also operating just east of the city, according to witnesses and Israeli military officials. Israeli forces seized control of open areas that Israeli military officials say Hamas uses to launch rockets into southern Israel. More than 500 rockets and mortar shells have landed in southern Israel over the nine days of fighting.
A senior Israeli military officer, speaking to foreign journalists in a conference call, said Israel was prepared to control those areas as long as needed to stop the rocket fire. "We are not speaking about recapturing the Gaza Strip," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "This is not our objective. If we have to hold those areas, to stop the rockets, we will do this."
Israel so far has concentrated its ground forces in the northern half of the strip, where hundreds of thousands of people live in a mix of refugee camps, crowded high-rise neighborhoods and agricultural villages. Meanwhile, Israeli jets and naval ships are bombarding the southern half of the strip, striking tunnels used to bring in weapons from the Egyptian Sinai and targeting Hamas leaders for assassination.
With a little more than a month until Israel holds national elections, pressure has been building for Israeli leaders to use the ground operation not just to weaken Hamas but to paralyze it permanently. Hamas triumphed in parliamentary elections in January 2006, winning day-to-day control of the Palestinian Authority. Amid rising political tension, Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007 from rival Fatah forces, causing a severe split in the Palestinian national movement. Israel has restricted food, medicine and other supplies to the strip in an attempt to end Hamas rocket attacks. In its founding charter, Hamas calls for Israel's destruction.
"This morning I can look every one of you in the eyes and say the government did everything before deciding to go ahead with the operation," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his cabinet Sunday, in his first public comments on the ground offensive. "This operation was unavoidable."
Israeli troops appeared to be drawing closer Sunday to engaging Hamas in densely populated urban areas that are the movement's historic strongholds. The Israeli soldier killed early Sunday afternoon was involved in "a heavy exchange of fire" during a battle close to the Jabalya refugee camp. Another Israeli soldier was severely wounded in the same incident, an Israeli military spokesman said.
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