Sri Lankas Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said on Thursday that Government forces will not suspend an offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels,rejecting calls for a ceasefire by the US,Britain and Canada. Those LTTE cadres who lay down the arms and want to surrender will be welcomed with honour, Wickremanayake told Parliament. He said there were reports that some Tigers were ready to give themselves up,terming it a wise decision. The Prime Minister made no mention of the top LTTE leadership,including Velupillai Prabhakaran,but President Mahinda Rajapaksa had earlier made it clear that there would be no pardon for them. Our forces have now surrounded the last stronghold of the terrorists. Our troops have dared the Tigers in their own den, Wickremanayake said. Terming the offensive against the LTTE as a humanitarian operation,Wickremanayake said the aim was to get rid of terrorism and free the minority Tamils,who he claimed had lived under oppression in the rebel-held areas for decades. The Government is not willing to halt this humanitarian operation. No force can stop this operation. Government forces have already achieved significant success and victories against the terrorists, he said. Sri Lankan troops on Thursday captured the last Sea Tiger base in Chalai after killing four top LTTE leaders and took full control of Vishuamadu area in Mullaittivu. Advancing army tanks and infantry moved deep into the Sea Tiger base in Chalai in northern Mullaittivu and killed four top LTTE leaders,including Vinayagam,number three in the hierarchy list of Sea Tigers. Our troops have just moved into Chalai. The capture would limit the Sea Tiger operations, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said. The security forces have captured Visuamadu completely. With the area under their control fast slipping,the top LTTE commanders,according to army sources,are left with no option but to dig in for a battle or escape. That Sri Lankan forces have almost reached the top brass of the LTTE,the sources said,is indicated by the fact that in the past few days,troops have had several encounters with the elite Black Tigers,supposed to be the most battle hardy and loyal suicidal squad of Prabhakaran. Vinayagam was killed as troops on mission to capture Chalai launched an effective offensive thrust against LTTE rebels,defence sources said.
