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Sri Lanka army 'to stop shelling' Sri Lanka army 'to stop shelling'
(40 minutes later)
Sri Lankan troops will no longer use heavy weapons or air strikes in fighting against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east, the government says.Sri Lankan troops will no longer use heavy weapons or air strikes in fighting against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east, the government says.
The statement said the army would focus on trying to rescue civilians. Concern has been rising over civilian deaths.The statement said the army would focus on trying to rescue civilians. Concern has been rising over civilian deaths.
The rebels are boxed in to a shrinking patch of land which they share with thousands of civilians.The rebels are boxed in to a shrinking patch of land which they share with thousands of civilians.
On Sunday the government dismissed a Tamil Tiger ceasefire offer as a "joke" and said the rebels were near defeat.On Sunday the government dismissed a Tamil Tiger ceasefire offer as a "joke" and said the rebels were near defeat.
'Rescuing civilians' name="story"> class="bodl" href="#map">See a map of the region
The statement from the office of the president said combat operations in the civil war between the military and Tamil Tiger rebels were now at an end. The statement from the office of the president said combat operations in the civil war between the military and Tamil Tiger rebels had "reached their conclusion".
"The government of Sri Lanka has decided that combat operations have reached their conclusion. Our security forces have been instructed to end the use of heavy calibre guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties," the statement said. "Our security forces have been instructed to end the use of heavy calibre guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties," the statement said.
"Our security forces will confine their attempts to rescuing civilians who are held hostage and give foremost priority to saving civilians.""Our security forces will confine their attempts to rescuing civilians who are held hostage and give foremost priority to saving civilians."
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the army has been saying it has not been using heavy weapons so perhaps this is an acknowledgment that there has been a danger of civilian casualties due to the operations and that these will end. The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says until now the military and the government have said that they were not using any heavy weapons in this current stage of the fighting and had caused no civilian casualties.
Whether this means the government forces will stop moving forwards is a different thing, our correspondent says. This undated photo released by pro-Tamil media reportedly shows a government air strike inside a no-fire zone and civilians fleeing
This new statement, however, does appear to acknowledge that civilians have been harmed as aid agencies and the UN have been saying, our correspondent says.
He says the declaration may signal a radical change of tactics by government forces in the small war zone to try to avoid such casualties.
It may also mean that they feel their final military victory has been achieved, or nearly achieved.
Earlier on Monday, Sri Lankan troops launched a pre-dawn attack on Tamil Tiger-held areas in the north-east, a pro-rebel website reported.
Troops were firing from all sides and more than 10,000 civilians were at immediate risk, TamilNet said.
A military spokesman confirmed that troops were firing, but said they were doing so in self-defence.
No independent confirmation of the reports is possible as independent journalists are not allowed into the war zone.
Trapped
The UN's top humanitarian official, John Holmes, who is in Sri Lanka, wants more access to civilians affected by the fighting.
The UN says some 50,000 civilians remain trapped in a government-designated no-fire zone, but the army puts the number at 15,000.The UN says some 50,000 civilians remain trapped in a government-designated no-fire zone, but the army puts the number at 15,000.
The rebels have been beaten back to a 12 sq km (5 sq m) area.The rebels have been beaten back to a 12 sq km (5 sq m) area.
The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983.The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war, but that figure could now be far higher because of intensified fighting in recent weeks.More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war, but that figure could now be far higher because of intensified fighting in recent weeks.
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