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Sri Lankan navy clashes with Tamil rebels

A clash between the Sri Lankan navy and Tamil Tiger rebels has ruptured a two month old ceasesfire.

A naval officer was killed and six others were wounded as South Asia correspondent Jonathan Harley reports.

It's the first major military clash between the rebels and Sri Lankan forces since the government began reciprocating a unilateral truce declared by the Tamil Tigers on Christmas Eve. Both sides had expected to enter a formal ceasfire by the weekend. A government minister involved in the Norwegian backed peace process has said efforts are being made to contain the conflict on the eve of the ceasefire deal so as not to kill off the truce before it's even been signed. In theory, the current truce does not apply to the sea. Meanwhile there've been reports that the Tamil Tigers are using the lull in fighting to smuggle weapons into their northern stronghold.

22/02/2002 05:33:19 | ABC Radio Australia News

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