Rajapaksa visits former LTTE hub Kilinochchi (Lead)
April 16th, 2009 - 3:16 pm ICT by IANSBy P. Karunakharan
Colombo, April 16 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Thursday paid a surprise visit to Kilinochchi, the former political hub of the Tamil Tigers, officials here said.
Government troops captured Kilinochchi, 350 km north of Colombo, at the start of January, ending a decade of control of the northern region by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The LTTE is now left with just 14 sq km of coastal strip in Mullaitivu district.
“The president visited Kilinochchi and addressed the troops there. He was accompanied by the defence secretary, the service commanders and several officials,” military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS.
President Rajapaksa is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The LTTE had over the past one decade used the town as its administrative and political capital. It was at the heart of an independent Tamil Eelam state the Tigers wanted to set up.
Kilinochchi boasted of LTTE sponsored banks and judicial services, all of which were portrayed as symbols of a separate state.
The town also played host to meetings between LTTE leaders and diplomats following the Norway-brokered 2002 ceasefire agreement.
- President Rajapaksa visits former LTTE hub Kilinochchi (Third Lead with images) - Apr 16, 2009
- Rajapaksa visits former Tamil Tigers hub Kilinochchi (Second Lead) - Apr 16, 2009
- Rajapaksa renews call for rebels to surrender - Feb 02, 2009
- Sri Lankan troops capture LTTE airstrip in Mullaitivu - Jan 10, 2009
- Sri Lanka's holiday truce begins, LTTE kills soldier (Lead) - Apr 13, 2009
- Sri Lanka, Singapore sign trade agreement - Feb 16, 2012
- Two LTTE leaders surrender, over 95,000 flee war zone (Second Lead) - Apr 22, 2009
- Krishna brings healing touch to Tamils (Lead) - Jan 18, 2012
- Rajapaksa asks LTTE to free civilians, surrender before late - Apr 06, 2009
- Rajapaksa appeals to world community to exert pressure on LTTE - Apr 18, 2009
- Rajapaksa visits Kilinochchi - Apr 16, 2009
- International Tamil rebel network still active: Sri Lanka - Jun 21, 2010
- Sri Lankan cabinet meets first time in north - Jul 14, 2010
- Sri Lanka steps up attacks on LTTE after taking rebel headquarters - Jan 03, 2009
- Sri Lankan troops capture Elephant Pass (Lead) - Jan 09, 2009
Tags: brigadier, ceasefire agreement, coastal strip, colombo, defence secretary, government troops, judicial services, kilinochchi, liberation tigers of tamil eelam, liberation tigers of tamil eelam ltte, ltte leaders, mahinda rajapaksa, military spokesman, nanayakkara, political hub, president mahinda rajapaksa, sri lankan president, surprise visit, tamil tigers, udaya
