LTTE decides to end its bloody armed struggle (Lead)
May 17th, 2009 - 5:03 pm ICT by IANSColombo, May 17 (IANS) Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger guerrillas announced Sunday that they had decided to “silence” their guns amid intense rumours that their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was dead.
In a statement posted on the TamilNet website, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said its decades long struggle for a Tamil homeland “has reached its bitter end”.
“This battle has reached its bitter end… We have decided to silence our guns,” said the LTTE statement issued by S. Pathmanathan, the head of the group’s International Relations department.
“Our only regrets are for the lives lost and that we could not hold out for longer,” it said, a day after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced a defeat of the LTTE.
There was no word, however, on the fate of Prabhakaran amid reports that Sri Lankan troops had stumbled upon the bodies of about 150 LTTE guerrillas in the island’s north.
- LTTE 'silences' guns, says war has reached 'bitter end' (Second Lead) - May 17, 2009
- India wanted LTTE 'put in its place': Norway report - Nov 11, 2011
- LTTE ends armed struggle; questions remain about Prabhakaran (Nightlead) - May 17, 2009
- Indian MP refused entry into Sri Lanka - Feb 22, 2011
- LTTE chief Prabhakaran reportedly shot dead - May 18, 2009
- Sri Lanka confirms arrest of new Tamil Tigers leader (Lead) - Aug 07, 2009
- Sri Lanka, Singapore sign trade agreement - Feb 16, 2012
- Tamil rebels say they are silencing their guns (Third Lead) - May 17, 2009
- Bodies of Prabhakaran's son, six LTTE leaders found (Third Lead) - May 18, 2009
- Prabhakaran's body found, Rajapaksa says LTTE vanquished (Roundup) - May 19, 2009
- Bodies of Prabhakaran's son, three LTTE leaders found (Second Lead) - May 18, 2009
- Will get Sri Lankan Tamils their rights: Jayalalithaa - Aug 11, 2011
- Prabhakaran surrounded by government troops, claims Lankan army - May 18, 2009
- LTTE leader Prabhakaran reported dead as Tamil Tigers surrender - May 17, 2009
- Sri Lanka's president to visit India - Jun 07, 2010
Tags: bitter end, decades, fate, guns, international relations department, liberation tigers of tamil eelam, liberation tigers of tamil eelam ltte, ltte statement, mahinda rajapaksa, president mahinda rajapaksa, regrets, rumours, sri lanka, sri lankan president, sri lankan troops, struggle, tamil homeland, tamil tiger guerrillas, tamilnet, tiger