| GEO World | | Sri Lankan jets hit Tamil Tiger office: rebels | Updated at: 1912 PST, Thursday, October 02, 2008
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan government jets caused "heavy damage" Thursday to the Tamil Tiger rebels' main political office in the north of the island, a pro-rebel website said.
Tamilnet.com said two civilians were killed and five others wounded in the midday air strike on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) offices in Kilinochchi.
"Most of the bombs missed their targets and the air force bombers disappeared from the sky as they came under LTTE anti-aircraft fire. However, the buildings have sustained heavy damage," the report said.
The offices include the LTTE's "peace secretariat", used by the rebels to host foreign dignitaries and peace brokers.
The raid comes as the Sri Lankan government says its forces are on the outskirts of the town, one of the main bastions of the Tigers' northern mini-state.
The government pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce with the rebels in January.
The government meanwhile unveiled another hike in its defence spending in 2009 by seven percent to maintain a massive ground, sea and air offensive against the ethnic separatist guerrillas.
The Colombo government's initial budget estimates put to parliament showed defence spending would rise to 177.1 billion rupees (1.6 billion dollars) from 166.4 billion rupees in 2008.
Total government spending is forecast to increase to 1.7 trillion rupees next year, from 1.5 trillion rupees in 2008.
Tens of thousands have died and many more have been displaced since the Tigers launched a campaign for an independent state in 1972. |  |
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