SriLanka extends state of emergency as fighting continues

Jul 8, 2008, 13:23 GMT

Colombo - Sri Lanka extended its state of emergency by another month as fighting between government troops and Tamil rebels continued with 19 more deaths reported on Tuesday.

The state of emergency gives wide powers to the security forces and police to carry out operations against the rebels.

It was passed in parliament with 111 members voting in favour and 14 against in the 225 seat legislature. The main opposition United National Party abstained from voting.

The emergency regulation needs to be extended every month in parliament.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremananayake, moving the motion, told Parliament that during the last month 112 security personnel and policemen and 43 civilians had been killed while 793 security personnel and 61 civilians had been injured.

Army commander Lieutenant-General Sarath Fonseka earlier said he hoped to end the war by the end of the year.

Meanwhile at least 19 rebels were killed in sporadic fighting in the northern areas of Mannar, Vavuniya, Welioya and Vavuniya, the Defence ministry said.

Since fighting renewed between rebels and government forces in 2006, at least 9,000 rebels and 1700 soldiers have been killed, according to the army commander, but the opposition parties dispute the figures.

There is no independent confirmation about the figures given by, both the security forces and the rebels on their own casualties. Journalists have no access to areas of fighting.