S.Lanka navy in clash, rebel boat explodes

COLOMBO (Reuters) – A Tamil Tiger rebel boat exploded
during a clash with the Sri Lankan navy off the island’s
northwestern coast on Friday, naval sources said, as peace
talks remained deadlocked.

“There is a confrontation at sea,” a naval source said. “We
have retaliated and one of their suicide boats exploded.”

He said he had no details of casualties.

Other naval sources said two naval patrol boats had seen
two Sea Tiger boats close to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
territory in northwestern Mannar district. The sources said the
rebels shot at the boats, which returned fire.

Two more Tiger vessels then appeared, the sources said, and
the navy also fired on them. One of the newly arrived rebel
craft exploded, suggesting it was a suicide attack boat, they
added.

The government says it still hopes talks can take place
with the rebels next week in Geneva, but the rebels pulled out
of talks indefinitely last month and the two sides cannot even
agree the transport of eastern rebel leaders to a pre-talks
meeting.

Some analysts say neither side really wants to meet, and
that hardliners on both sides are keen to prompt a
confrontation and return to war.

Last week, the military launched air strikes on rebel
territory after a suicide attack on army headquarters in the
capital. The strikes ceased after two days, but hawkish
elements in the government are said to want them restarted.

More than 200 people have died in the past month in
suspected rebel attacks, ethnic riots, killings and air and
artillery strikes, raising fears that a 2002 truce might fail
and civil war return.