Govt. will honour truce - Keheliya

by Ranga Jayasuriya

The government yesterday stressed that it would continue to honour the truce agreement, a day after twelve soldiers were killed in the worst ever confrontation since the signing of the ceasefire agreement.

Four LTTE cadres were al so killed and six others wounded.

"The government does not wish to derail the peace process... We are exercising restraint," Defence Affairs spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the Sunday Observer.

"We are honouring the ceasefire agreement," he said.

Minister Rambukwella said there were two versions of the incident which took place in Vakaneri, 35 Km from Batticaloa and 5 km into jungles in Batticaloa-Polonnaruwa road.

"There should be an investigation to look into what really happened in Vakanery on Friday.

"But, it is clear that the troops were initially ambushed on the No Man's Land. They could have moved into uncleared areas unintentionally during the confrontation," he said.

He ruled out forces knowingly going to LTTE held areas to attack the Tigers.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission spokesman Thorfinnur Omassson said the ceasefire monitors had requested the release of the soldier captured by the LTTE during the confrontation.

Lance Corporal R. M. Karunaratne was missing since the confrontation and the LTTE said he was in their custody.

"But we haven't got a reply from the LTTE yet," said the SLMM spokesman.