List of attacks attributed to the LTTE
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of attacks attributed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), commonly known as the Tamil Tigers. The attacks include massacres, bombings, robberies, ethnic cleansing, military battles and assassinations of civilian and military targets. The LTTE is a separatist militant group that fought
for a separate Tamil state
in the north and east of Sri Lanka
between 1976 and 2009. It has been banned as a terrorist organization by 30 countries, including the United States
, Canada
, India
and the 27 member nations of the European Union
.
----
These include:
In March 1976, LTTE members robbed the People's Bank at Puttur of Rs. 668,000 in cash and jewellery. This was followed by raids on Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Services in Puloly and Madagal.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE), commonly known as the Tamil Tigers. The attacks include massacres, bombings, robberies, ethnic cleansing, military battles and assassinations of civilian and military targets. The LTTE is a separatist militant group that fought
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
for a separate Tamil state
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
in the north and east of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
between 1976 and 2009. It has been banned as a terrorist organization by 30 countries, including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and the 27 member nations of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Deadliest attacks
Attack | | Date | | Location | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|
1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers 1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers The 1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers was a mass murder of Sri Lankan Police officers that took place on June 11, 1990. Members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist organization, are alleged to have killed over 600 unarmed Sri Lanka Police officers in Eastern Province,... |
June 11, 1990 | Eastern Province Eastern Province, Sri Lanka The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was... |
600-774 | |
Kattankudy mosque massacre Kattankudy mosque massacre The Kattankudi mosque massacre was the killing of over 147 Muslim men and boys in a mosque in Kattankudi by LTTE cadres on August 3, 1990. It took place when around 30 Tamil rebels raided four mosques in the town of Kattankudi, where over 300 people were prostrate in Isha prayers... |
August 3, 1990 | Kattankudy Kattankudy Kattankudy or Kattankudi is a small city in Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It was the site of the Kattankudy mosque massacre of 1990.With over 40,000 inhabitants, Kattankudi is one of the few cities in Sri Lanka where ethnic Moors form the over all majority of the population... , Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
147 | |
Anuradhapura massacre Anuradhapura massacre The Anuradhapura massacre occurred in Sri Lanka in 1985 and was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. This was the largest massacre of Sinhalese civilians by the LTTE to date; it was also the first major operation carried out by the LTTE outside a Tamil majority area.-Incident:The... |
May 14, 1985 | Anuradhapura Anuradhapura Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic... , Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
146 | |
Habarana bus massacre | April 17, 1987 | Habarana Habarana Habarana is a small city in the Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka. The city is famed for its chain of high class tourist resorts.Habarana is a popular tourist destination for safari lovers as it is the starting point for safaris in the nearby Habarana jungle and the Minneriya sanctuary which is... , Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
127 | |
October 1995 Eastern Sri Lanka massacres October 1995 Eastern Sri Lanka massacres The October 1995 massacres were carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 33 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities.... |
October 16, 1995 | Eastern Province Eastern Province, Sri Lanka The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was... |
120 | |
Palliyagodella massacre Palliyagodella massacre The Palliyagodella massacre was carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 33 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities... |
October 15, 1991 | Palliyagodella, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
109 | |
2006 Digampathana bombing 2006 Digampathana bombing The 2006 Digampathana truck bombing, also known as Habarana massacre, was a suicide truck bombing carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam against a convoy of 15 military buses on 16 October 2006 at Digampathana, near the towns of Dambulla and Habarana, in Sri Lanka... |
October 16, 2006 | Digampathaha, Matale District Matale District Matale District is a district in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 1,987 km².- Demographics :The population according to 2001 census is 441,328. 80.1 % of the population are Sinhalese, 8.7 % Sri Lankan Moors, 5.5 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 5.3 % tamils of... |
92–103 | |
Central Bank bombing Central Bank Bombing The Central Bank bombing was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks carried out by the LTTE during the Separatist civil war in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers.The attack took place on January 31, 1996, Sri Lankan city of Colombo... |
January 31, 1996 | Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
91 | |
Kebithigollewa massacre Kebithigollewa massacre The Kebithigollewa massacre occurred on June 15, 2006 when 60 people were killed as a result of claymore attack on a bus. The U.S and the SLMM claimed that LTTE was the perpetrator. However, LTTE claimed that they did not perpetrate this attack.- Incident :... |
June 15, 2006 | Kebithigollewa, Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
66 | |
Dehiwala train bombing (1996) | July 24, 1996 | Dehiwala, Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
64 | |
Kent and Dollar Farm massacres Kent and Dollar Farm massacres The Kent and Dollar Farm massacres was one of the earliest massacres of Sinhalese civilians carried out by the LTTE during the Sri Lankan Civil War... |
November 30, 1984 | Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town... |
62 | |
Lionair Flight 602 | September 29, 1998 | off the cost of Mannar District Mannar District Mannar district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka... |
55 | |
Gonagala massacre Gonagala massacre The Gongala Massacre was a massacre that occurred on September 18, 1999, in the small village of Gonagala, located in the Ampara District of Sri Lanka. According to reports, over 50 men, women and children were hacked to death in the middle of the night... |
September 18, 1999 | Gonagala, Ampara District Ampara District Ampara district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Ampara town... |
54 | |
Kallarawa massacre Kallarawa massacre The Kallarawa massacre was carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 32 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities.... |
May 25, 1995 | Kallarawa Kallarawa Kallarawa is a coastal village 35 miles off Trincomalee in Eastern Sri Lanka. It happens to be on one of the strongest LTTE supply routes between the eastern province and north eastern areas, including Mullaitivu. Kallarawa was the site of The Kallarawa massacre carried out by the LTTE on May 25,... , Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
42 | |
Aranthalawa Massacre Aranthalawa Massacre The Aranthalawa Massacre was the massacre of 33 Buddhist monks, most of them young novice monks, and four civilians by cadres of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam organization on June 2, 1987 close to the village of Aranthalawa, in the Amparadistrict of Eastern Sri Lanka.The massacre is... |
July 2, 1987 | Aranthalawa, Ampara District Ampara District Ampara district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Ampara town... |
35 | |
Air Lanka Flight 512 | May 3, 1986 | Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo... , Gampaha District Gampaha District - Local Authorities in Gampaha district:Gampaha is the District Capital of Gampaha District and is a principal town around Colombo. It is about 4 km from Miriswatte on the Colombo - Kandy Road.- Urban Councils :* Katunayake-Seeduwa * Ja-ela* Wattala... |
21 | |
Kokilai massacre Kokilai massacre The Kokilai massacre was carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 33 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities... |
December 1, 1984 | Kokilai, Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town... |
11 | |
Gomarankadawala massacre Gomarankadawala massacre Gomarankadawala is a tiny village in the Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka, where 6 Sinhalese civilians were gunned down by suspected LTTE cadres in an incident known as the Gomarankadawala massacre.- Incident :... |
April 23, 2006 | Gomarankadawala, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
6 | |
2009 suicide air raid on Colombo 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo The 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo was an unsuccessful kamikaze style suicide attack launched by the air wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on February 20, 2009, targeting military locations in and around Colombo, Sri Lanka... |
February 20, 2009 | Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
2 |
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1972
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 17 | A carnival held at the Duraiappah Stadium is bombed by the Tamil New Tigers. | Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
unknown |
1974
- Throughout 1974, the Tamil New Tigers and other Tamil rebel groups launched several bomb attacks targeting the Mayor of Jaffna and Jaffna civilians.
These include:
- hands bombs lobbied into a jeep at the Kankesanturai Police Sation
- dynamite ignited at the home of V. Ponnambalam, a member of the Communist Party
- dynamite thrown into Chenkathanai Railway Station causing extensive damage
- bombs exploded in the Grand Bazar, Jaffna
- CTB buses set on fire
1975
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 27 | Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah Alfred Duraiappah Alfred Duraiappah was a former MP and mayor of Jaffna, Sri Lanka who was assassinated by the Tamil Tigers.-First political murder:A member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Alfred Duraiappah was a former MP and mayor of Jaffna... is shot to death by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran Velupillai Prabhakaran Thiruvenkadam Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka... in the first major attack by the group. |
Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
1 | 1 |
1976
1976, saw a series of brazen robberies committed by the LTTE.In March 1976, LTTE members robbed the People's Bank at Puttur of Rs. 668,000 in cash and jewellery. This was followed by raids on Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Services in Puloly and Madagal.
1977
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
February 14 | PC Karunandhi is shot to death for investigating crimes committed by the LTTE. | Maviddapuram Maviddapuram Maviddapuram is a holy village in the Sri Lankan district of Jaffna under the Tellipalai divisional secretariat. It is located near to the Palali airport, Kankesanthurai harbour and Keerimalai coast which is famous for the Naguleswaram Shiva temple... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
1 | 1 | |||
May 18 | Two officers named Shanmuganathan are killed for the same reason | Inuvil Inuvil Inuvil is a small village in Northern Sri Lanka. It is situated along the KKS main road, Jaffna district. The area is mainly populated by people who speak a form of Tamil .-People :... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
2 | 2 |
1978
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | K. Kanagaratnam is shot in the head by Uma Maheshwaran and other LTTE members for switching party affliction from the TULF to the UNP. | Kollupitiya Kollupitiya Kollupitiya is a major city in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The name Kollupitiya comes from the name of a chief from Kandy who had unsuccessfully attempted to dethrone the last king of Kandy. During the period of British and Dutch administration, a brewery had commenced in Kollupitiya which converted... , Western District Western District The Western District is a region of Australia located in the south-west corner of the state of Victoria, extending to Ballarat in the east and as far north as Ararat where it borders the Wimmera region. To the south, the district extends to Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean and to the west it... |
1 | ||||
April 7 | Inspector Bastianpillai and Sub-Inspector Perampalan are shot to death along with their chauffeur while chasing down Maheshawan. Bastianpillai's body is then mutilated and their car is set on fire after its radio equipment is taken. | Murunkan, Mannar District Mannar District Mannar district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka... |
3 | 3 | |||
May | Inspector Pathmanathan is killed in his home. | Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
1 | 1 | |||
June | Inspector Kumaru is killed while shopping. | Valvettithurai Valvettithurai Valvettithurai or VVT is a small coastal village on the northeast coast of the Jaffna Peninsula in Sri Lanka's north. The population is mainly minority Sri Lankan Tamils of Hindu or Catholic faith. The main industry is farming, fishing and trading... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
1 | 1 | |||
December 5 | Police Constable Kingsley Perera and Satchithanadan are shot to death during a raid on the People's Bank at Nallur. The LTTE robbed the bank over over 1 million rupees in cash. | Nallur Nallur (Jaffna) Nallur , , is a small holy town within the present day city of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It is located 3 km away from the colour and bustle of Jaffna Town. Originally known by its Royal term "Singai Nagar", Nallur formerly functioned as the capital of the ancient Jaffna kingdom for many years during... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
1 | 1 | 2 |
- In July, 4 robberies are carried out.
- 2 from CTB buses
- 1 from a van
- Rs. 15,000 from a travelling salesman
- In September a CTB bus is set on fire.
- Later schoolteacher salaries were robbed in Point Pedro.
- On September 7, 1978 a bomb is planted on an Air Ceylon plane flying from Kankesanturai to Colombo. It exploded after landing while in the hangar.
- Some time later the Kopai Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Society was robbed of Rs. 30,000 using a stolen vehicle. The owner of the vehicle was thrown into his luggage compartment.
1979
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S. A. Emmanuel of Chankanai, Thaadi Thangarajah of Kondavil, A. Krishnagol of Velvettiturai, T. Poopalasingham of Chunnakam and A. Sivarajah of Thondamannar are executed by the LTTE for providing evidence against them to the police. | Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
5 | 5 | ||||
PC Gnanasambandan, PC Sivanesan, Inspector Guruswamy, S. Swarnarajah and his wife are executed by the LTTE. | Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
5 | 5 | ||||
1983
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 23 | Four Four Bravo Four Four Bravo Four Four Bravo was the call sign of an fifteen-man Sri Lankan Army patrol, deployed in the Jaffna Peninsula on July 23, 1983. The patrol was ambushed and thirteen of its members were killed by the LTTE... : 13 soldiers are killed in an LTTE ambush in Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical... , sparking anti-Tamil riots that cause the death of approximately 4000 Tamils across Sri Lanka during four days, in what would be later labelled as Black July Black July Black July is the commonly used name for the anti-Tamil pogrom and attacks carried out by mobs in Sri Lanka which began on July 23, 1983. The riots occurred following a deadly ambush by a Tamil militant organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers... . |
Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
13 | 13 |
1984
1984 marked the intensification of the war between the Tamil separatists and the Sri Lankan government, as well as the first reports of civilian massacres by the LTTE.Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
November 11 | Dollar Farm massacre Kent and Dollar Farm massacres The Kent and Dollar Farm massacres was one of the earliest massacres of Sinhalese civilians carried out by the LTTE during the Sri Lankan Civil War... : 33 civilians which included women and children were attacked in Dollar Farm village in the night by an armed group made up of LTTE cadres. |
Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town... |
33 | 33 | |||
November 30 | Kent Farm massacre Kent and Dollar Farm massacres The Kent and Dollar Farm massacres was one of the earliest massacres of Sinhalese civilians carried out by the LTTE during the Sri Lankan Civil War... : Following the attack on the Dollar Farm village, a second night raid was launched by the LTTE cadres which targeted the Kent Farm village, 29 civilians including women and children were massacred. They also looted and set fire on to victims houses. |
Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town... |
29 | 29 | |||
December 1 | Kokilai massacre Kokilai massacre The Kokilai massacre was carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 33 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities... : LTTE cadres kill eleven Sinhalese civilians in the fishing village of Kokilai. |
Kokkilai Kokkilai Kokkilai or Kokilai or Kokkulaay is a town in the Mullaitivu District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 40 km south-east of the District capital Mullaitivu. It is a coastal town, located next to Kokkilai lagoon, it is also close to Trincomalee District border.- See also :* 1985 Kokkilai... , Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu District Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town... |
11 | 11 | |||
December 31 | LTTE members kill 4 Tamil civilians and dump them outside of Batticaloa for refusing to fight for the group. Altogether 30 Tamil civilians were killed for similar reasons in 1984. | Batticaloa Batticaloa Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:... , Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
30 | 30 |
1985
1985 marked a major escalation of hostilities. For the first time the LTTE attacked a major Sinhalese majority town killing 146 unarmed civilians. The impact of this attack was felt across the island and received world wide attention.Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 20 | 22 soldiers and 10 civilians are killed in a train explosion set off by the LTTE. | Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Western District Western District The Western District is a region of Australia located in the south-west corner of the state of Victoria, extending to Ballarat in the east and as far north as Ararat where it borders the Wimmera region. To the south, the district extends to Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean and to the west it... |
33 | 33 | |||
May 5 | Wilpattu Village Massacre: Wilpattu, a Sinhalese village in Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... , was the target of an raid of an armed group of LTTE cadres, who killed 18 villagers that included women and children. |
Wilpattu, Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
18 | 18 | |||
May 14 | Anuradhapura massacre Anuradhapura massacre The Anuradhapura massacre occurred in Sri Lanka in 1985 and was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. This was the largest massacre of Sinhalese civilians by the LTTE to date; it was also the first major operation carried out by the LTTE outside a Tamil majority area.-Incident:The... : LTTE gunmen shoot dead 146 Sinhalese civilians and injure 85 others as they were praying at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred Buddhist shrine in Anuradhapura Anuradhapura Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic... . |
Anuradhapura Anuradhapura Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic... , Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
146 | 146 | |||
May 14 | LTTE cadres shoot dead 18 Sinhalese civilians in the Wilpattu National Park Wilpattu National Park Wilpattu National Park is a park located on the island of Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of "Willus" - Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka... while they are fleeing from the massacre of 146 civilians earlier in the day (see Anuradhapura massacre Anuradhapura massacre The Anuradhapura massacre occurred in Sri Lanka in 1985 and was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. This was the largest massacre of Sinhalese civilians by the LTTE to date; it was also the first major operation carried out by the LTTE outside a Tamil majority area.-Incident:The... ). |
Wilpattu National Park Wilpattu National Park Wilpattu National Park is a park located on the island of Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of "Willus" - Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka... , Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
18 | 18 | |||
May 30 | LTTE cadres shoot and kill five Sinhalese civilians in the villages of Mahandapura and Dehiwatta. People of these villages had previously received numerous threats from the LTTE associates. This massacre was part of a series of massacres aimed at displacing Sinhalese from the North East of Sri Lanka. | Mahandapura and Dehiwatta, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
5 | 5 | |||
June 4 | Dehiwatta Village Massacre: Armed with sharp weapons over 100 LTTE cadres killed 15 villagers on their sleeping mats in the village of Dehiwatta. Victims included women and children, which were the majority killed. | Dehiwatta, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
15 | 15 | |||
June 11 | 13 Sinhalese civilians are shot dead by LTTE gunmen in Dehiwatta. | Dehiwatta, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
13 | 13 | |||
August 2 | LTTE cadres shot dead three Sinhalese Buddhist monks and three civilians, while they were worshipping at the Ruhunu Somavathiya Temple. | Thrikonamadu, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
6 | 6 | |||
August 14 | Aranthalawa Village Massacre: Seven Sinhalese villagers were tortured and killed at Aranthalawa. They were targeted by an armed group of LTTE cadres. | Aranthalawa, Ampara District Ampara District Ampara district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Ampara town... |
7 | 7 | |||
August 18 | Namalwatta Village Massacre I: A group of LTTE cadres armed with sharp weapons hacked 7 villagers. | Namalwatta, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
7 | 7 | |||
November 7 | Namalwatta Village Massacre II: Ten villagers, including women and children were raided and executed at Namalwatta for the second time. | Namalwatta, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
10 | 10 | |||
December 20 | Six Madhu pilgrims, abducted by the LTTE on 12/12/85 were executed. | Mannar Mannar, Sri Lanka Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior... , Mannar District Mannar District Mannar district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka... |
6 |
1986
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
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February 2 | Kantale Village massacre: Armed with small arms and swords LTTE cadres raided the village of Kantalai killing 19 civilians. | Kantalai, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
19 | ||||
February 19 | When refugees from Serunuwara, Dehiwatta were being escorted by army personnel along Ella/Kantalai road, LTTE exploded a mine killing 35 civilians and four army personnel. | Sittaru Kantalai, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
39 | ||||
May 3 | Air Lanka Flight 512: LTTE bomb explodes aboard Air Lanka flight carrying mainly French, British and Japanese tourists killing 21 (including 13 foreigners - of whom 2 British, 2 German, 3 French, 2 Japanese, 1 Maldivian and 1 Pakistani) and injuring 41 on Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo... . |
Katunayake Katunayake Katunayake , is a town situated on the west coast of the island of Sri Lanka near Negombo and close to the commercial capital of Colombo. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport, the primary international air gateway to Sri Lanka... , Western Province Western Province, Sri Lanka The Western Province is the most densely populated province of Sri Lanka. It is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenapura as well to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center.-Districts:Basnahira is divided into 3 districts:... |
21 | ||||
May 5 | Kinniya Village massacre: Four Moor civilians were tortured and killed by a group of LTTE cadres. | Kinniya Kinniya ' is a small town in the Trincomalee District of the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is located about 20 km from the town of Trincomalee and 240 km from the national capital Colombo.... , Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
4 | 4 | |||
May 6 | Central Telegraph Office Bombing: The Central Telegraph Office, Colombo Central Telegraph Office, Colombo Central Telegraph Office is a building in Colombo, Sri Lanka that housed the Ceylon Telegraph Department the preciser to the Sri Lanka Telecom. Situated Colombo fort along Duke street, across from the head quarters of the Colombo Metropolitan Police; it was built in 1910 and is used by the Sri... was the target on a bomb detonated by the LTTE cadres which killed 14 civilians who were at the office. |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... |
14 | ||||
May 25 | Mahadivulwewa Village massacre: An armed group of LTTE cadres killed 20 Sinhalese by shooting them dead and set alight 20 houses. | Mahadivulwewa, Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
20 | 20 | |||
June 2 | Trincomalee 3rd Mile post massacre: Civilian homes at the 3rd mile post, Trincomalee were stormed by a group of armed LTTE cadres who killed 10 civilians, including women and children | Trincomalee Trincomalee Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,... |
10 | ||||
June 4 | Andankulam Village massacre: 17–20 civilians, including Ven. Bakamune Subaddalanakara Thero, were attacked, tortured and killed by LTTE cadres in the village of Andankulam. | Andankulam, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
17–20 | 17–20 | |||
June 11 | 22 people were killed and another 75 others were injured when two bombs were detonated simultaneously by the LTTE on two buses heading to Kantalai and Colombo respectively. The first bus was front of the Bank of Ceylon Bank of Ceylon Bank of Ceylon is a government-owned, major commercial bank in Sri Lanka. Its head office is located in iconic cylindrical building in the capital Colombo, the political and commercial capital of the islandThe bank has a network of 308 branches and 200+ extension centers covering all parts of the... Trincomalee branch and the other in close proximity to the SP office. |
Trincomalee Trincomalee Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,... , Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
22 | ||||
June 21 | Wilgamwehera Village massacre: 9 civilians, including children, were murdered in the Wilgamwehera hamlet by LTTE cadres. | Wilgamwehera, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
9 | ||||
June 25 | Bomb exploded in a vehicle by LTTE killed 16 Sinhalese. | Sittaru, Kantalai, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
|16 | 16 | |||
July 8 | Monkey Bridge Village massacre: 15 Sinhalese villagers were shot to death by LTTE cadres. | Monkey Bridge, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
15 | 15 | |||
July 9 | Mollipothana Village massacre: Mullipothana village was stormed at night by a group of armed LTTE cadres who killed 16 civilians most of them being women and children. | Mullipothana, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
16 | ||||
July 13 | Pavakkulam Village massacre: Nine Tamil and two Sinhalese villages were killed by four LTTE cadres who had arrived in a jeep to tract No. 16, Pavakkulam. | Pavakkulam, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
2 | 9 | 11 | ||
July 19 | Beruwil & Wadigawewa Village massacre: The villages of Beruwil and Waigawewa were stormed by large armed group of LTTE cadres numbering over 100, killing 17 villagers including women and children, as well as causing serious cut wounds to at least 5 others. | Beruwil & Wilgamwehera, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
17 | ||||
July 19 | LTTE cadres shot dead twelve Sinhalese villagers. | Wadigawewa, North Central Province North Central Province, Sri Lanka North Central Province is a province of Sri Lanka. Its capital is Anuradhapura. The province is not densely populated with a weak economy, as the land tends to be dry tropical woodlands.-History:... |
12 | 12 | |||
July 22 | LTTE cadres exploded a land-mine on a civilian bus, killing 32 Sinhalese civilians and injuring 20 others. | Mammaduwa, Vavuniya District Vavuniya District Vavuniya district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Vavuniya town... |
32 | 32 | |||
July 24 | A bomb exploded inside a bus proceeding from Vavuniya to Anuradhapura; killing 13 passengers and injuring 40 others. | 13 | |||||
July 24 | About 50 LTTE cadres entered Damana, a Sinhalese village, and killed nine persons; another 13 were injured. | Damana, Central Province | 9 | ||||
September 17 | Kantalai massacre: LTTE cadres entered block No.4 of the Sugar Corporation, Kantalai and ten civilians were shot to death. | Kantalai, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
7 | 1 | 2 | 10 | |
September 17 | Wadigawewa Village massacre: Following the Kantalai massacre, the village of Wadigawewa was attacked by the same group of LTTE acdres who killed 12 villagers including women and children. | Wadigawewa, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
12 |
1987
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 February | Manthottam massacre: The village of Manthottam, which is mostly made up of Sinhalese, was attacked by a group of 50 armed LTTE cadres, who murdered eight villagers after brutally torturing them. The death toll was reduced since villagers had hid in the surrounding jungles anticipating such an attack. | Manthottam, Mannar District Mannar District Mannar district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka... |
8 | ||||
8 | |||||||
7 February | Arantalawa massacre: In a night house-to-house raid LTTE cadres armed with swords, machetes, clubs and small-arms killed 27 to 28 civilians including children and women. Pregnant mothers were found hacked to death and with their necks slashed. | Arantalawa, Ampara District Ampara District Ampara district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Ampara town... |
? | ? | ? | 27-28 | |
7 March | Awarantalawa massacre: Six civilians were killed when the LTTE detonated a land-mine as troops were passing. Also killed were seven soldiers and four NAF soldiers. | Awarantalawa, Vavuniya District Vavuniya District Vavuniya district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Vavuniya town... |
? | ? | ? | 17 | |
22 March | Serunuwara Horowpathana massacre: LTTE cadres shot dead 26 Sinhalese villagers. | Serunuwara Horowpathana | 26 | ? | ? | 26 | |
25 March | Serunuwara massacre: Armed LTTE cadres stormed Serunuwara village, mostly inhabited by Sinhalese, and herded the farming families at gunpoint to a road. They were then shot there in execution style. In total 25 villagers were killed, most of whom were women and children. | Serunuwara, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
25 | ||||
25 | |||||||
17 April | Habarana massacre: LTTE cadres shot dead 127 Sinhalese civilians, including 31 police and security force personnel who were travelling in 3 buses and 2 trucks to Trincomalee Trincomalee Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,... . The cadres clad in military uniforms stopped the vehicles and dragged out the passengers and shot them to death with automatic weapons after brutally assaulting them with clubs. Over 70 with injuries were air lifted. The dead included many children and 12 off duty security personnel. Most of the victims were families visiting their relatives for the new year. |
Habarana Habarana Habarana is a small city in the Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka. The city is famed for its chain of high class tourist resorts.Habarana is a popular tourist destination for safari lovers as it is the starting point for safaris in the nearby Habarana jungle and the Minneriya sanctuary which is... , Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
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127 | |||||||
20 April | Jayanthipura Massacre: The majority Sinhalese village of Jayanthipura was raided by a group of armed LTTE who murdered 15 civilians including women and children. | Jayanthipura, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
15 | ||||
15 | |||||||
21 April | Central Bus Station Bombing Central Bus Station Bombing The Central Bus Station Bombing was the car bombing of the central bus terminal of Colombo carried out on April 21, 1987 in Pettah, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The bombing killed 113 civilians. - See also :* 2008 Sri Lanka bus bombings... : A bomb detonated by LTTE operatives at the central bus terminal of Colombo killed 113 civilians, two policemen and a soldier; 298 others were injured. |
Pettah Pettah Pettah is an urban neighbourhood of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala.-Location:Pettah is on the way to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and Shanghumugham Beach. Private and KSRTC buses connect Pettah to most parts of the city.The railway station at Pettah is... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
? | ? | ? | 116 | |
21 April | Jayanthipura massacre: 15 Sinhalese villagers were shot dead by LTTE cadres. | Jayanthipura, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
15 | ? | ? | 15 | |
29 May | Attack on Kadawathmadu: A group of armed LTTE cadres raided the majority Sinhalese village of Kadawathmadu killing seven civilians and leaving five others injured. Due to the LTTE threat, the villagers slept in jungle hideouts during the night, which reduced the casualties. | Kadawathmadu, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
7 | ||||
7 | |||||||
2 June | Aranthalawa Massacre Aranthalawa Massacre The Aranthalawa Massacre was the massacre of 33 Buddhist monks, most of them young novice monks, and four civilians by cadres of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam organization on June 2, 1987 close to the village of Aranthalawa, in the Amparadistrict of Eastern Sri Lanka.The massacre is... : In the first massacre of Buddhist monks in modern Sri Lankan history, a bus carrying Buddhist monks was stopped by LTTE in Arantalawa. 32 Buddhist monks, including Chief Priest Ven. Hegoda Indrasara, were killed with only one monk surviving. |
Arantalawa | 32 | ||||
32 | |||||||
5 June | Nelliady attack: In the first suicide attack by the LTTE Black Tiger LTTE Black Tiger The Black Tigers were a wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a militant Sri Lankan separatist organization. They were specially selected and trained LTTE cadres whose missions included mounting suicide attacks against military and civilian targets... s, a small truck laden with explosives was driven into a Sri Lanka Army base in Nelliady, Jaffna peninsula Jaffna Peninsula The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to... by Vallipuram Vasanthan. Over 50 soldiers were killed along with Vasanthan. |
Nelliady Nelliady Nelliady is the largest city in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.After the 2004 Tsunami and the on-going Civil War people started moving towards places of safety from the sea coasts. Nelliady became a ready made town for all the affected refugees... , Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
50 | ||||
50 | |||||||
11 June | Veppankulam attack: 13 civilians and a soldier were killed when a private van en route from Horowpathana to Trincomalee Trincomalee Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,... was blowup by a LTTE pressure mine. |
Veppankulam, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
? | ? | ? | 14 | |
12 June | Godapotta massacre: A meeting to discuss a new temple was attacked by the LTTE, who surrounded the temple and attacked the gathering of over 175 villagers, resulting in the deaths of eight villagers; a soldier and six people were injured. | Godapotta, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
? | ? | ? | 9 | |
21 June | Godapotta massacre: The hamlet of Godapotha, a majority Sinhalese village in Polonnaruwa was raided by a group of armed LTTE cadres, killing eight villagers and injuring one. The death toll was reduced since villagers had hid in the surrounding jungles anticipating such an attack. | Godapotha, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
? | ? | ? | 8 | |
29 July | Thoppur massacre: Nine villagers were killed after being tortured by LTTE cadres armed with swords, machetes and small arms. | Thoppur, Jaffna District Jaffna District Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to... |
? | ? | ? | 9 | |
6 October | Batticaloa: 18 Sinhalese civilians were shot dead by LTTE cadres. | Batticaloa Batticaloa Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:... , Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
18 | ||||
18 | |||||||
6 October | Tharavi massacre: Tharavi, a majority Sinhalese village, was stormed by over 100 LTTE cadres armed with swords, machetes and small arms, who killed 25 civilians, mostly women and children including infants and pregnant mothers. | Tharavi, Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
25 | ||||
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6 October | Sagarapura massacre: A house-to-house massacre was carried out by LTTE cadres, clubbing children to death in front of their parents, and hacking the adults to death using sharp weapons. 27 Sinhalese villagers were shot dead. After looting their victims' homes, these were set alight, burning the wounded victims alive. Another six villagers survived the attack with serious cut wounds. | Sagarapura, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
27 | ||||
27 | |||||||
6 October | Valaichchenai massacre: 40 Sinhalese passengers in the night-mail train from Batticaloa were killed by LTTE cadres who stopped the train. | Valaichchenai Valaichchenai Valaichchenai is a town in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It could also be spelled as Valaichenai. The world famous Pasikudah Beach is located about 3 km east of Valaichenai along the Indian Ocean. Pasikudah beach is famous for shallow and calm sea water.- Population :Valaichchenai has... , Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
40 | ||||
40 | |||||||
7 October | Pottuvil Monargala Road massacre: 25 Sinhalese passengers travelling by bus were shot dead by LTTE cadres, who also killed five motorcyclists travelling along the same route. | Pottuvil Pottuvil Pottuvil or Pothuvil or Poththuvil is a predominantly Muslim town in the Ampara District of Sri Lanka, located along the Eastern coast of the Island, it is 4 km due North of the popular tourist destination Arugam Bay. It was affected by 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.... , Ampara District Ampara District Ampara district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Ampara town... |
? | ? | ? | 30 | |
10 October | Ganthalawa massacre: Gantalawa hamlet in Kantala was attacked and 9-10 civilians murdered with three wounded by LTTE cadres armed with swords, machetes and small arms. | Ganthalawa | 9-10 | ||||
9-10 | |||||||
15 October | Ella Kantalai massacre: Ella Kantalai, a majority Sinhalese village, was attacked by LTTE cadres armed with swords, machetes and small arms, killing 14 civilians including women and children. | Ella Kantalai, Trincomalee District | 14 | ||||
14 | |||||||
16 October | Pulimodai massacre: A private bus was stopped by LTTE cadres, who removed the Sinhalese people killing 11 including three policemen. | Pulimodai, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
11 | ||||
11 | |||||||
19 October | Kalkudah attack: A private bus transporting Tamil passengers was blown up by a LTTE land-mine, killing 40 persons and an IPKF soldier | Kalkudah Kalkudah Kalkudah or Kalkuda is a coastal resort town located about 35 kilometers northwest of Batticaloa, Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka. It used to be a popular tourist destination, however due to 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Sri Lankan Civil War tourist numbers have declined... , Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
? | ? | ? | 41 | |
9 November | Maradana bombing: 23 civilians were killed and 106 injured by LTTE cadres who exploded a bomb, another 15 were shot dead. | Maradana Maradana Maradana is a suburb of Colombo city, Sri Lanka. Maradana is the site of Maradana Railway Station, one of the primary railway hubs in the country, serving intercity rail and commuter rail. Maradana also has many railway yards and running sheds... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
? | ? | ? | 38 | |
11 November | Kalkuda massacre: Seven Sinhalese people selling fish were shot dead by LTTE cadres. | Kalkudah Kalkudah Kalkudah or Kalkuda is a coastal resort town located about 35 kilometers northwest of Batticaloa, Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka. It used to be a popular tourist destination, however due to 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Sri Lankan Civil War tourist numbers have declined... , Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
7 | ||||
7 | |||||||
12 November | Cheddikulam massacre: 12 Tamil persons and 13 PLOTE members were killed when their van was blown up by an LTTE land-mine. | Cheddikulam Cheddikulam Cheddikulam is a small town in Sri Lanka. It is located within Northern Province.-External links:*... , Vavuniya District Vavuniya District Vavuniya district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Vavuniya town... |
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24 | |||||||
24 | |||||||
15 December | Devalagodella massacre: Devalagodella and Somavathiya villages were attacked by LTTE cadres armed with small arms and sharp weapons, killing 7-9 civilians. | Devalagodella, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
? | ? | ? | 9 | |
22 December | Morawewa massacre: 5-6 Sinhalese and a Tamil were abducted and tortured to death by LTTE cadres. | Morawewa, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
5 | 1 | |||
6 | |||||||
31 December | Mahadivulwewa massacre: 10 villagers were shot dead and 15 houses burnt by LTTE cadres. | Mahadivulwewa, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
? | ? | ? | 10 | |
31 December | Kathankadu massacre: The Muslim majority village of Kathankadu is raided by LTTE cadres armed with sharp weapons and small arms, who carried out the killing of 30 civilians, including women and children with bodies severely mutilated. | Kathankadu, Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
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30 | 30 |
1988
- March 2: Morawewa, Trincomalee: LTTE cadres shot dead 14 Sinhalese villagers.
- March 11: Suhadagama Horowpathana Anuradhapura: A group of LTTE cadres attacked a private bus, 22 Sri 2218, at Suhadagamaw with small arms and grenades, killing 19 passengers and injuring nine others.
- March 14: Galmitiyawa, Kantalai: LTTE cadres shot dead 13 Sinhalese villagers at Galmitiyawa.
- March 15: Kivulkade, Morawewa, Trincomalee: Two groups of LTTE operatives entered the village and killed seven Sinhalese villagers.
- March 17: Deegavapiya, Damana, Ampara: LTTE cadres hacked to death 13 Sinhalese villagers.
- March 22: Pudukulam, Vavuniya: Between ten and 15 LTTE cadres attacked the Sinhalese village and killed six villagers. Another three were injured.
- March 22: Medavachchi-kulam Vavuniya: LTTE cadres shot dead nine Sinhalese villagers.
- March 29: Wewalketiya: A LTTE bomb exploded inside CTB bus 29 Sri 9037 Anuradhapura which was proceeding from Horowpathana to Medavachchiya, killing nine passengers and injuring 14 others.
- March 31: Saindamaradu, Kalmunai: LTTE cadres attacked the village, killing ten Muslims and seven Tamils.
- April 8: Horowpathana, Meegaswewa, Anuradhapura: LTTE gunmen killed 14 Sinhalese.
- May 1: Sittaru Kantalai, Trincomalee: LTTE cadres exploded a land-mine on a CTB bus killing twelve Sinhalese, nine Muslims and five others, who were not identified.
- July 28: Ethawetunawewa, Weli Oya: LTTE operatives hacked to death 16 Sinhalese villagers.
- August 16: Trincomalee (opposite Clock Tower): LTTE cadres exploded a bomb, killing sixe Sinhalese, two Muslims, one Tamil and a soldier; 19 persons sustained injuries.
- August 25: Marawila, Polonnaruwa: LTTE cadres killed eleven civilians by cutting their necks.
- September 10: 16th Colony, Central Camp Ampara: LTTE cadres shot dead seven Sinhalese and four Tamils.
- October 9: Mahakongaskada Medavachchiya: LTTE cadres shot dead 44 Sinhalese villagers and set fire to eleven houses.
- November 14: Paniketiyawa, Gomarakadawela Trincomalee: LTTE cadres shot dead 28 Sinhalese, including two security force personnel.
1989
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 17 | Maharambekulam Village massacre | 9 | 9 | ||||
February 2 | Bogamuyaya Village massacre | 11 | 11 | ||||
February 11 | Dutuwewa Village massacre | Dutuwewa, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
37 | 37 | |||
February 11 | Singhapura Village massacre | Singhapura | 6 | 6 | |||
February 27 | Borawewa Village bloodbath | Borawewa, Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km².... |
38 | 38 | |||
August 17 | Nochchikulam Village massacre: An IDE Improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action... explosion, killing eight civilians and injuring four others. |
Nochchikulam, Vavuniya District Vavuniya District Vavuniya district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Vavuniya town... |
8 |
1990
- June 11: 1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officersThe 1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers was a mass murder of Sri Lankan Police officers that took place on June 11, 1990. Members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist organization, are alleged to have killed over 600 unarmed Sri Lanka Police officers in Eastern Province,...
: Over 600 unarmed police officers are shot dead by the LTTE in Police Stations across eastern Sri Lanka. - June 15: 11 soldiers are killed in Kalmunai by the LTTE and their bodies are desecrated.
- July 23: Veeracholai, Batticaloa: LTTE cadres killed eight persons, thought to be Muslims and hanged them on trees.
- July 24: Damminna, Aralaganvila Polonnaruwa: LTTE cadres hacked to death eight Sinhalese villagers.
- July 25: Wan Ela, Trincomalee: LTTE cadres hacked to death nine Sinhalese villagers who were cutting firewood.
- July 26: Thammannaelawaka Medavachchiya: LTTE cadres hacked and shot to death 19 Sinhalese and set fire to 30 houses.
- July 30: Akkaraipattu Batticaloa: LTTE cadres shot dead 14 Muslims in the town.
- July 31: Podankadu, Peraru, Kantalai: Ten Tamil civilians were killed by unidentified gunmen.
- August 3: Kattankudy mosque massacreKattankudy mosque massacreThe Kattankudi mosque massacre was the killing of over 147 Muslim men and boys in a mosque in Kattankudi by LTTE cadres on August 3, 1990. It took place when around 30 Tamil rebels raided four mosques in the town of Kattankudi, where over 300 people were prostrate in Isha prayers...
: Over 30 Tamil Tiger cadres attacked four Muslim mosques in Kattankudy in Batticaloa district, killing at least 147 Muslims who were praying in the mosques. - August 5: Mulliyankadu, Ampara: LTTE cadres killed 17 Muslim farmers working in a paddy-field.
- August 6: Ampara: LTTE cadres killed 33 Muslim farmers working in a paddy-field.
- August 7: Bandaraduwa, Uhana, Ampara: About 40 LTTE cadres went to a Sinhalese village and killed 30 Sinhalese and injured four.
- August 8: Navagamuwa, Anuradhapura: LTTE cadres attacked a Sinhalese village and killed seven civilians; four persons were injured.
- August 11: Division 3 & 6 Eravur LTTE cadres attacked Div. 3 & 6, Eravur, killing 116 Muslims and injuring 20 others.
- August 13: 15th Mile Post, Pulmoddai, Weli Oya: Twenty-five civilians who were travelling in a lorry from Negombo at Kokuvil were ambushed by LTTE cadres, who killed 14 of them.
- August 13: Awarantalawa Vavuniya A Muslim village adjoining a Sinhalese village was attacked by LTTE cadres; nine Muslims and one Sinhalese were killed. Three others were injured.
- September 13: Poonani, Batticaloa LTTE cadres hacked to death seven Muslim civilians and injured one.
- September 19: Vellamundal, Puttalam: LTTE cadres killed 23 Sinhalese and set fire to eleven houses at the fishing village.
- September 21: Pudukudiyirippu Ampara: LTTE cadres attacked the village killing 15 Muslims and injuring eleven.
- September 30: Peraweltalawa, Maha Oya, Ampara: LTTE cadres hacked to death nine Sinhalese villagers.
- October: Expulsion of Muslims from the Northern province by LTTE: The LTTE expelled, within 48 hours, 80,000 Muslims living under their control in the northern districts of the island: Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu, and Mannar. Each civilian was only allowed to carry 150 Sri Lankan rupees when they were expelled from LTTE areas.
- October 2: Vahalkada, Ampara: LTTE cadres shot dead seven Sinhalese.
- October 11: Arugambay, AmparaAmparaAmpara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo. It belongs to the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara...
: LTTE cadres shot dead nine Muslims. - October 23: Thanthirimalai, Anuradhapura: LTTE cadres killed eight Sinhalese and two home guards.
- November 1: Halambawewa, Sinhapura, Weli Oya: LTTE cadres attacked the village and killed ten Sinhalese.
1991
- January 23: Bogamuyaya Maha Oya, AmparaAmparaAmpara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo. It belongs to the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara...
: LTTE cadres hacked to death 25 Sinhalese villagers and injured nine others, four subsequently succumbed to their injuries. - March 2: At least 19 people, including Sri Lanka's Deputy Defence Minister, Ranjan WijeratneRanjan WijeratneGeneral Ranjan Wijeratne was the former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of foreign affairs, Minister of State for defense and Minister of plantation industries from 1989 to 1991 in President Ranasinghe Premadasa's cabinet.-Early life:Born to Walpola Mudalige George Hercules Wijeratne and Rosalind...
killed in an LTTE car bomb explosion in ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. A further 73 people injured. - March 24: Bogamuyaya, Akkaraipattu: Bomb explosion carried out by LTTE at Fish Market Akkaraipattu, killing nine Muslims and injuring 32 others.
- March 31: Irudayapuram Batticaloa: LTTE cadres shot dead eight civilians at the market in the night.
- April 3: Keviliya, Foul Point, TrincomaleeTrincomaleeTrincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
: LTTE cadres in two boats surrounded several boats and opened fire at the fishermen. Ten dead bodies and eleven injured were found. Sixteen were missing. The missing persons were either taken away or drowned after being shot. - April 14: Ethimalai, Monaragala: LTTE cadres hacked to death 17 Sinhalese villagers and injured another.
- April 20: Niyadella, Okkampitiya, Moneragala: LTTE cadres attacked the village and hacked and shot to death 21 men, women and children.
- May 19: Erakkamam, Ampara LTTE cadres attacked five Muslims and two Sinhalese persons, whilst they were returning from the paddy-field, killing six persons and injuring one.
- May 20: Malwatta, Sammanthurai, Ampara: LTTE cadres fired on a group of Muslims who were returning from the paddy-field in a tractor; nine Muslims were killed and two injured.
- May 21: LTTE suicide bomber Thenmuli RajaratnamThenmuli RajaratnamThenmozhi "Gayatri" Rajaratnam was the assassin who killed Rajiv Gandhi, herself, and 14 others in a suicide bombing on May 21, 1991, in the Indian town of Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, near Chennai. A member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , Rajaratnam was also known as Gayatri and Dhanu...
assassinated former Indian prime minister Rajiv GandhiRajiv GandhiRajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
while the latter was campaigning for a parliamentary candidate in Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, also killing an additional 13 civilians. Following the assassination, seven suspected LTTE activists committed suicide after being surrounded by police. In June 2006, the LTTE issued a formal apology for this action. However, the Indian government quickly responded saying forgiving Tamil Tigers for the 1991 killing of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi would amount to endorsing their ideology of terror. - June: ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
: 12 killed and 85 civilians injured after a suicide bombing outside the Joint Operations Command (JOC) building on Flower Road, Colombo 7. - June 12: Kokkadicholai, BatticaloaBatticaloaBatticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
: LTTE Bomb explosion in Manmunai ferry kills ten civilians. - June 24: Weligahakandiya Batticaloa: LTTE cadres abducted and killed eight Sinhalese and injured one Tamil.
- June 27: Lahugala, Ampara: LTTE cadres exploded two claymore mines and opened fire at the passengers of a private bus; 16 civilians were killed and eight wounded.
- July: First Battle of Elephant PassFirst Battle of Elephant PassThe First Battle of Elephant Pass was a battle fought in July 1991 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base of Elephant Pass, which was of strategic importance as it linked the northern mainland known as Wanni with the Jaffna Peninsula.-The battle:...
: The army's Elephant PassElephant PassElephant Pass, Northern Province, Sri Lanka is an important military base and formerly the island's largest salt field, located in the gateway of Jaffna Peninsula. It has thus regularly been the site of battles during the civil war....
base, which controls access to the Jaffna peninsula, is surrounded by 5,000 LTTE cadres. More than two thousand died on both sides in the month-long siege, before 10,000 government troops arrived to relieve the base. - July 6: Pudur, Jaffna: LTTE cadres cut and killed nine Muslims and moved towards the Mahaweli river bank and cut to death another eight persons, injuring four others. One of the injured succumbed to his injuries. Total killed: 16 Muslims and two Sinhalese.
- July 6: Karapola, Manampitiya, PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwaThe second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
: Nine Sinhala fishermen were abducted by LTTE cadres and killed. - August 8: Sammanthurai, Batticaloa: Six Muslims farmers killed by LTTE cadres.
- September 19: Palliyagodella, PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwaThe second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
: LTTE cadres attacked a Muslim village, killing 13 Muslims and injuring six others. - October 15: Palliyagodella massacrePalliyagodella massacreThe Palliyagodella massacre was carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 33 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities...
: Palliyagodella, Polonnaruwa DistrictPolonnaruwa DistrictPolonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km²....
: LTTE cadres attacked a Muslim village and shot and hacked to death 182 civilians (171 of them were Muslims), twelve policemen and eight soldiers; 83 others were injured. - October 24: Iqbal Nagar: LTTE cadres who were in ambush, fired at a civilian van killing three Tamils and three Muslims.
1992
- January 26: Between Arantalawa and Borapola LTTE mine explosion killed nine civilians in a bus.
- April 10: AmparaAmparaAmpara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo. It belongs to the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara...
Town: A LTTE bomb exploded in a bus causing the death of 25 civilians and injuring 33 civilians. One policeman was also killed and two army personnel were wounded. - April 10: MaharagamaMaharagamaMaharagama is a Town, Municipal Area in the Colombo District and a suburb of Colombo Sri Lanka. Situated on the High-Level Road about 15 km away from the centre of the commercial capital Colombo, Maharagama is the city with the third largest population , in Sri Lanka. It developed rapidly in...
: A LTTE car bomb exploded, causing the death of eight civilians; one policeman and 23 civilians were injured. - April 29: LTTE cadres kill 69 Muslim civilians including 5 infants. Reprisal attacks by MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
civilians and homeguards results in the death of 49 Tamil men. - April 29: Alinchipothana, PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwaThe second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
: LTTE cadres attacked the Alinchipothana village, killing 56 Muslims and injuring 15. - June 2: 209th Mile Post Ampara: A group of LTTE cadres stopped a bus opened fire, killing 14 civilians, one policeman, and injuring two civilians and one policeman.
- July 6: Parayankaulam, VavuniyaVavuniyaVavuniya is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni....
: LTTE cadres publicly shot dead ten Tamil lorry drivers and a woman, alleging that they had passed information to the security forces. - July 15: Kirankulam, BatticaloaBatticaloaBatticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
: LTTE cadres attacked a civilian bus proceeding from Kathankudy towards Kalmunai, killing 19 Muslims and injuring seven Muslims. - July 21: Parangiyamadu, Batticaloa: LTTE cadres stopped a train, ordered the passengers to get down and opened fire at the Muslim passengers: seven Muslims were killed and four Muslims were injured.
- August 30: Trincomalee Town: A LTTE bomb planted in a private bus at the bus-stand exploded, killing nine civilians and injuring 34 (including four soldiers, two reserve policemen).
- September 1: Saindamaradu, Kalmunai: A LTTE bomb fixed to a push-cycle carrying an ice-cream container, exploded at the market, killing 22 Muslims and injuring 67 others.
- September 10: Kiliveddi Point, TrincomaleeTrincomaleeTrincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
: LTTE operatives blasted a ferry across Allai Tank and killed 22 soldiers and seven civilians, and injured one soldier and two civilians. - October 1: Konwewa Weli Oya: LTTE cadres fired and threw grenades at villagers, killing 15 civilians and injuring nine others.
- November 16: An anti-rebel website claimed that the Sri Lanka Navy CommanderCommander of the Navy (Sri Lanka)The Commander of the Navy is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Navy. The current Commander of the Navy is Vice Admiral D.W.S. Dissanayake...
Vice Admiral Clancy FernandoClancy FernandoAdmiral Wannakuwatta Waduge Erwin Clancy Fernando VSV, USP, MSc, ndc, psc, MNI, SLN was the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy from 1 November 1991 - 16 November 1992...
and four others are killed by LTTE suicide bomber.
1993
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 1 | Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa Ranasinghe Premadasa Ranasinghe Premadasa was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989... killed in LTTE suicide bomb attack at a May Day May Day May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures.... Rally. |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
1 | ? | ? | 1 | |
July 25 | Janakapura Village massacre: The LTTE raids a Sinhalese village and kills nine civilians by means of stabbing, shooting and blowing up with grenades. | Janakapura | 9 | ||||
November 10 | Battle of Pooneryn Battle of Pooneryn The Battle of Pooneryn was a battle fought on November 11, 1993 for the town of Pooneryn.-Background:The main target of the LTTE in the shorline offensive was the Sri Lankan government naval base at Pooneryn... : Eight officers and 233 soldiers were declared killed in action in LTTE's attack on the Pooneryn Pooneryn Pooneryn is a strategically important village in the northern province of Sri Lanka situated just below the Jaffna Peninsula. Built in the Pooneryn area of north portion of the island first by the Portuguese to protect its possessions in Jaffna, it was expanded by the Dutch till in 1770 it was... defences. The LTTE also executed 200 soldiers captured during this attack on the Pooneryn army camp. |
Pooneryn Pooneryn Pooneryn is a strategically important village in the northern province of Sri Lanka situated just below the Jaffna Peninsula. Built in the Pooneryn area of north portion of the island first by the Portuguese to protect its possessions in Jaffna, it was expanded by the Dutch till in 1770 it was... , Kilinochchi District Kilinochchi District Kilinochchi district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Kilinochchi town... |
241 |
1994
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 19 | Rambewa bus bombing: A LTTE bomb exploded in a private bus carrying civilians from Sripura to Anuradhapura, causing the death of ten Sinhalese civilians and injuring 51. | Rambewa, Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura District Anuradhapura is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 7,179 km².-Demographics:The population according to 2001 census is 745,693 of which 90.7 % are sinhalese, 8.3 % Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7 % native Sri Lankan tamils and 0.1 % tamils of Indian origin... |
10 | 10 | |||
March 16 | Kudiramalai Fishing boats Attack: LTTE cadres attacked about ten fishing boats, causing the death of 17 fishermen and injuring three; five fishermen were reported missing. | Off Kudiramalai Kudiramalai Kudiramalai is a headland cape, point and ancient port town on the west coast of Sri Lanka. It was once a flourishing emporium of international trade and the capital of an ancient Kingdom based in Jaffna peninsula of the Naka, before the capital was moved to Nallur in the medieval period... , Puttalam District Puttalam District Puttalam is a district situated near to the west coast of Sri Lanka. It has an area of . Along with the Kurunegala District, it formulates the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The district capital is Puttalam, which borders the Kala Oya and Modaragam Aru in the north, Anuradhapura District and... |
17 | ||||
October 24 | Sri Lankan presidential candidate and opposition leader Gamini Dissanayake Gamini Dissanayake Lionel Gamini Dissanayake was a prominent Sri Lankan politician and a former presidential candidate and Leader of the Opposition.-Early life:... is killed by an LTTE suicide bomber who explodes herself at a campaign rally in Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... . At least 50 others were killed in the blast and a further 75 were seriously hurt. |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
≈50 | ≈50 |
1995
- May 25: Kallarawa massacreKallarawa massacreThe Kallarawa massacre was carried out by the LTTE, an organization which has been banned in 32 countries including the US, Australia, EU, India and Canada due to its terrorist activities....
: LTTE cadres attack a fishing village in Kallarawa, and hack and shot to death 42 civilians (22 males, twelve females and eight children). - August 7: ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
: An LTTE suicide bomber explodes a suicide rickshaw killing 22 civilians. - October 20: Kolonnawa, ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
: LTTE attacked the oil storage complexes at Kolonnawa and Orugodawatta. At least three suicide bombersSuicide BombersSuicide Bombers is the name of a 2005 EP by Leæther Strip. For the Australian hardcore band see Suicide Bombers -Track listing:# Suicide Bombers# Suicide Bombers # The Shame Of A Nation # This Is Where I Wanna Be...
fought their way into the tanks and blew themselves up destroying the tanks. LTTE lost four cadres in the action while killing 22 security personnel and destroying diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel and crude oil worth over US $10 million. - October 21: Mangalagama: LTTE cadres kill 16 civilians.
- October 25: Panama: LTTE cadres kill twelve Sinhala farmers.
- November 11: Colombo: A LTTE suicide bomber causes an explosion near the Slave Island railway station resulting in the death of 15 children and two soldiers.
- November 24: Colombo: An attack by two LTTE female suicide bombers on the Sri Lanka Army Headquarters results in the death of 16 people.
- December 11: Colombo: Two LTTE suicide bombers blow themselves up at the Army Headquarters, resulting in the deaths of 15 civilians and three soldiers.
- December 23: The LTTE attacked an army detachment in Batticaloa district, killing 32 troops. Military sources reported that more than 60 rebels were killed.
1996
- January 31: Central Bank bombingCentral Bank BombingThe Central Bank bombing was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks carried out by the LTTE during the Separatist civil war in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers.The attack took place on January 31, 1996, Sri Lankan city of Colombo...
: An attack by the LTTE on the Colombo Central Bank killed 90 and injured a further 1,400 civilians, damaging other buildings in the process. It was the most deadly LTTE attack on a civilian target in the history of the group's operations. - March 19: 29 Tamil civilians killed by LTTE, as they were accused of being traitors and giving information to Security Forces.
- June 11: Lunuoya LTTE kills 14 civilians. According to Amnesty International, this attack was reportedly led by an LTTE member whose family had been killed in communal violence, after the LTTE attacked a police post. The main target of this appears to have been the family of those thought to have been responsible for the killing of this LTTE member's family.
- July 4: JaffnaJaffnaJaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
: An attack by an LTTE suicide bomber on a Sri Lankan minister results in the death of 25 people. - July 18: Battle of Mullaitivu (1996): The LTTE overruns the Sri Lanka Army camp at MullaitivuMullaitivuMullaitivu is a small town on the north-eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of Mullaitivu District in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. A largely fishing settlement, the town in the early 20th century grew as an anchoring harbour of the small sailing vessels transporting goods between...
. The number of killed in action and missing in action Sri Lankan soldiers from this attack was over 1200. The LTTE appear to have burnt alive hundreds of Sri Lankan soldiers who had surrendered during the attack on the Mullaitivu army camp. - July 24: Dehiwala train bombing (1996): The LTTE exploded 4 bombs on Colombo-Alutgama train at Dehiwala killing between 60 and 70 civilians. The technique of simultaneously exploding multiple bombs in several carriages was used during this attack.
1997
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
February 10 | Oddaimvadi Village attack: The Muslim village of Oddaimavadi, Batticaloa was attacked by a group LTTE cadres, who shot 5 civilians to death and wounded 3 others. | Oddaimavadi, Batticaloa District Batticaloa District Batticaloa district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Batticaloa town... |
5 | 5 | |||
May 12 | Morawewa Village attack: The village and police station of Morawewa, Trincomalee was attacked by LTTE cadres who butchered 5 civilians. | Morawewa, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
5 | ||||
July 2 | Erakkandy Village Massacre: the Muslim village of Erakkandy, Trincomalee was stormed by a group of over 100 LTTE cadres wielding sharp weapons, clubs and firearms who butchered 34 civilians. | Erakkandy, Trincomalee District Trincomalee District Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka... |
34 | 34 | |||
October 15 | 1997 Colombo World Trade Centre Bombing 1997 Colombo World Trade Centre bombing The Colombo World Trade Centre Bombing was a terrorist attack carried out by the LTTE during the Separatist civil war in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers.The attack took place on October 15, 1997, Sri Lankan city of Colombo... : An LTTE bomb exploded at the Colombo World Trade Centre, killing 13 and injuring hundreds. |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
13 |
1998
- January 25: Four likely members of the Black TigerBlack TigerBlack tiger may refer to:* Black tiger , a melanistic or pseudo-melanistic tiger* Black Tiger , a 1982 release by Y&T* Black Tiger , an arcade game developed by the Japanese company Capcom in 1987...
squad drove an explosives-laden truck into the Temple of the ToothTemple of the ToothSri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
in KandyKandyKandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, a major Buddhist shrine, killing seven and injuring 25. The attack took place just days before foreign dignitaries were expected to attend celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of Sri Lankan independence at the temple. - March 5: LTTE is blamed for two bomb explosions aboard buses in Colombo killing thirty-two civilians and injuring 252 others.
- May 14: A member of the Black Tiger squad jumped in front of a vehicle carrying Sri Lankan Brigadier Larry WijeratneLarry WijeratneMajor General Larry A.R. Wijeratne USP, SLA was the former Commanding Officer of 51-4 Brigade based in Jaffna.-Early life and family:...
and detonated explosives, killing the general and two guards. Wijeratne was the commander of Sri Lankan forces in the Point PedroPoint PedroPoint Pedro is the northernmost town of the island of Sri Lanka. The agriculturally active area around Point Pedro with fertile calcic red latosols is known for its cotton production. The eastern coast of Point Pedro is a 3-mile-broad beach with huge sand dunes up to 100 feet height, extending...
area of the Jaffna peninsula in the Tamil-inhabited north of the country. Press reports described the assassination as a "serious blow" to the government's efforts in the area. - August 29: The LTTE shoot down a AN-24 Lionair Flight 602 with 55 passengers (including 48 Tamils) and crew while it was flying over LTTE held territory. Everyone onboard is killed.
- September: 1998 Battle of Kilinochchi: In a massive LTTE offensive 1,500 soldiers are killed, 3,000 wounded and 500 are missing.
1999
- June 2: Eleven Sinhalese civilians were murdered at Inginiyagala.
- July 29: An LTTE suicide bomber killed Sri Lankan Tamil MP Neelan ThiruchelvamNeelan ThiruchelvamNeelan Tiruchelvam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and an internationally respected academic. He was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber in July 1999....
along with two others. Six civilians were injured. At the time of his death Dr.Neelan ThiruchelvamNeelan ThiruchelvamNeelan Tiruchelvam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and an internationally respected academic. He was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber in July 1999....
was working on a constitutional package aimed at ending the decades long ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. - September 18: Gonagala massacreGonagala massacreThe Gongala Massacre was a massacre that occurred on September 18, 1999, in the small village of Gonagala, located in the Ampara District of Sri Lanka. According to reports, over 50 men, women and children were hacked to death in the middle of the night...
: LTTE cadres massacre at least 50 Sinhalese civilians in three villages in Ampara DistrictAmpara DistrictAmpara district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Ampara town...
. - November 1: Oddusuddan offensive (1999)Oddusuddan offensive (1999)The Oddusuddan offensive was a military operation in which the Tamil Tigers captured Oddusuddan from the Sri Lankan Army. The Tamil Tigers are believed to have captured large amounts of weapons & ammunitions as well as armoured vehicles in this operation...
: An LTTE attack on an army camp at Oddusuddan results in an SLA defeat with 800 soldiers killed or missing and another 1,200 deserted. - December 11 – January 2, 2000: 212 soldiers are killed in heavy fighting. Also another 37 are missing and 2,118 are wounded.
- December 18: A LTTE suicide bomber kills 23 civilians in attempt to kill Sri Lankan president Kumaratunga at a pre-election rally.
- December 18: In Colombo LTTE suicide bomber Skandaraja Ashoka kills eleven people and retired Sri Lanka Army Major General Lucky AlgamaLakshman AlgamaMajor-General Chulasoka Lakshman "Lucky" Algama VSV, USP, ndc, psc was a former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and a United National Party activist after retirement. Lucky Algama was educated at Ananda College, Colombo...
.
2000
- January 5: An LTTE suicide bomber blows herself up outside the office of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka killing 13 civilians and three police officers.
- January 7: An LTTE suicide bomber kills Sri Lankan Industrial Minister C.V. GunaratneC.V. GunaratneClement Victor Gunaratne was Sri Lanka's Cabinet Minister of Industries Development. Minister Gunaratne and his wife along with 20 others were killed by a suicide bomber of the LTTE terrorist organization on June 7, 2000.He was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo where was captain...
and 24 civilians. - January 27: LTTE bomb a post office killing eleven and injuring 70.
- March 11: 14 civilians and six police die when four LTTE suicide bombers attempt to assassinate the defence minister. 46 others are injured
- April 22: Second Battle of Elephant PassSecond Battle of Elephant PassThe Second Battle of Elephant Pass , was a battle fought in April 2000 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base in Elephant Pass, Jaffna....
: The LTTE overrun the most important military base in the Northern province, the Elephant PassElephant PassElephant Pass, Northern Province, Sri Lanka is an important military base and formerly the island's largest salt field, located in the gateway of Jaffna Peninsula. It has thus regularly been the site of battles during the civil war....
base. - May 17: An LTTE bomber killed 23 and injured 70 at a Buddhist temple in BatticaloaBatticaloaBatticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
during celebrations of the Vesak holiday. - June 26: LTTE suicide boats sink a chartered private ship M.V. Uhana. Five civilian crew and three navy personnel die.
- September 15: An anti-rebel website claimed that in Colombo a suicide bomber explodes in front of the main government hospital in Colombo resulting in seven civilian deaths. 28 civilians are injured.
- October 3: An anti-rebel website claimed that the an LTTE bomb kills parliamentary candidate Mohammed Baithullah and more than twenty others in Muttur. At least 49 others were injured.
- October 5: An anti-rebel website claimed that in Medawacchchiya, AnuradhapuraAnuradhapuraAnuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
an attack by an LTTE suicide bomber on the Health and Indigenous Medicine Deputy Minister Tissa Karaliyadda results in the death of seven civilians and injuries to 40 civilians.
2001
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 24 | Bandaranaike Airport attack Bandaranaike Airport attack The Bandaranaike Airport attack was an assault by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Bandaranaike International Airport, on July 24, 2001... : An LTTE 14-man suicide squad attacked a Sri Lanka Air Force base and the adjoining Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo... . They destroyed many aircraft, crippling the country's economy and reducing tourism. |
Katunayake Katunayake Katunayake , is a town situated on the west coast of the island of Sri Lanka near Negombo and close to the commercial capital of Colombo. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport, the primary international air gateway to Sri Lanka... , Western Province Western Province, Sri Lanka The Western Province is the most densely populated province of Sri Lanka. It is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenapura as well to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center.-Districts:Basnahira is divided into 3 districts:... |
7 | 14 | 21 |
2005
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 12 | Lakshman Kadirgamar Lakshman Kadirgamar Sri Lankabhimanya Lakshman Kadirgamar PC was a Sri Lankan diplomat, politician and a lawyer. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2001 and again from April 2004 until his assassination in August 2005... , the foreign minister of Sri Lanka and an ethnic Tamil was shot by an alleged LTTE sniper. |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
1 | 1 |
2006
- January 7: A suspected LTTE fishing boat loaded with explosives detonates and destroys a Sri Lankan navy boat as it leaves the port of TrincomaleeTrincomaleeTrincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
, killing 13 sailors. - March 1: Five civilians die in suspected LTTE mine explosion.
- April 23: Gomarankadawala massacreGomarankadawala massacreGomarankadawala is a tiny village in the Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka, where 6 Sinhalese civilians were gunned down by suspected LTTE cadres in an incident known as the Gomarankadawala massacre.- Incident :...
: The LTTE kill six Sinhalese civilians including two 15 year old children in the village of Gomarankadawala in the Trincomalee district. - April 25: A suicide bomber, believed to belong to the LTTE, attempts to kill Lieutenant General Sarath FonsekaSarath FonsekaGardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, known as Sarath Fonseka is a former commander and General of the Sri Lanka Army and a former candidate for President of Sri Lanka. As Commander of the Army, he played an instrumental role in ending the 26 year Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009, defeating the...
, seriously injuring him while killing eight others and injuring thirty more. The explosives were disguised as the late stages of pregnancy, and the bomber was originally believed to be pregnant, although subsequent medical tests have been inconclusive. - May 11: Battle of Point Pedro (2006)Battle of Point Pedro (2006)The Battle of Point Pedro was a naval battle that occurred on May 12, 2006 near Point Pedro, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Navy was attacked by a group of Tamil Tiger boats...
: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Sea TigersSea TigersThe Sea Tigers was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effective suicide bomber vessels. During its existence it had gained a reputation as a capable adversary for the Sri Lankan Navy...
attacks and sink one Sri Lanka Navy vessel while seriously damaging another. The attack is ruled as a grave violation of the Cease Fire Agreement by the Sri Lanka Monitoring MissionSri Lanka Monitoring MissionThe Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was established on 22 February 2002 under the terms of a ceasefire agreement signed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, as a body that would monitor the ceasefire and enquire into reported violations of the ceasefire agreement...
. In response, LTTE threathened the truce monitors not to be aboard naval vessels. 18 sailors perish on the Sri Lankan patrolboat, and an unknown number of Sea Tiger cadres also die in the attack. The fact that the lives of two Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission monitors on board these ships were endangered by this attack, triggered the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
decision to ban the LTTE. - May 27: The award-winning author Nihal de Silva and seven Sri Lankan tourists were killed by a supposed LTTE land mine in Wilpattu National Park. The explosion took place near Tamil held territory in the northern part of the country. Before a 2002 cease fire agreement, rebels used the park as a hiding place. It is unclear whether the mine was planted before or after the cease fire agreement.
- May 29: Thirteen farm workers were cut and shot in a village around Welikanda in Plonnaruwa. The government suspected the LTTE were responsible, while the LTTE responded that they had no involvement and that they were falsely implicated. Furthermore, the LTTE condemned this attack.
- May 30: An anti-rebel website claimed that the LTTE cadres kill twelve Sinhalese villagers working at an irrigation canal construction site in Omadiyamadu, close to the uncleared areas of Welikanda in PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwaThe second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
district. - June 15: Kebithigollewa massacreKebithigollewa massacreThe Kebithigollewa massacre occurred on June 15, 2006 when 60 people were killed as a result of claymore attack on a bus. The U.S and the SLMM claimed that LTTE was the perpetrator. However, LTTE claimed that they did not perpetrate this attack.- Incident :...
: The LTTE bombs a bus carrying 140 civilians in Kebithigollewa, in northeastern Sri Lanka. The blast results in the death of 68 civilians including 15 school children, and injurers 78 others. It was caused by two claymore mines placed side by side on the bus by LTTE cadres, which spraying the packed bus with millions of ball bearings upon manual detonation. - June 26: The third highest ranking Sri Lankan military officer, Major General Parami KulatungaParami KulatungaLieutenant General Parami Sugandika Bandara Kulatunga RSP, VSV, USP, GW was Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, its third highest ranking officer....
was wounded in an attack by LTTE and died after being taken to the hospital. Two other military escorts and a passerby were also killed. - September 18: Pottuvil massacrePottuvil massacrePottuvil massacre is disputed event in the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war. It happened on Monday, 18 September 2006, when 10 unarmed minority Muslim civilians who were engaged in the clearing of a reservoir at Rattal Kulam in Pottuvil in the southern part of the Ampara District in the Eastern Province...
: LTTE cadres massacre ten Muslims at Pothuwil in the Eastern province. The sole survivor of the attack confirms it was carried out by LTTE cadres. - October 16: 2006 Digampathana bombing2006 Digampathana bombingThe 2006 Digampathana truck bombing, also known as Habarana massacre, was a suicide truck bombing carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam against a convoy of 15 military buses on 16 October 2006 at Digampathana, near the towns of Dambulla and Habarana, in Sri Lanka...
: In the deadliest suicide attack in Sri Lanka to date, a suicide bomber in a truck kills 103 Sri Lanka Navy sailors on buses going or returning from leave at a transit point and wounds over 150 other sailors. Several civilians may also have died. - December 1: An LTTE suicide bomber triggers the explosives packed into a vehicle in Colombo as a five car convoy carrying Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse passes by, in an attempt to assassinate him. Secretary Rajapakse escapes unharmed, although two people are killed and 14 others are wounded, mostly civilians who were passing by the site.
2007
- January 5: 2007 Sri Lankan bus bombs2007 Sri Lankan bus bombsIn January, 2007, several bus bombs were set off in Sri Lanka*The first was on Friday, 5 January 2007, at about 18:30, during the evening rush hour, near Nittambuwa, 40 km N.E. of the capital Colombo. It used approx. 2 kilograms of explosives, killed 6 people and injured at least 30. 80...
: Nittambuwa - The LTTE are the only suspects in bomb blast on a city bus carrying more than 80 civilians. The resulting explosion kills six civilians and wounds 63, ten of them seriously. The bus was bombed during the evening rush-hour near Nittambuwa town, 40 km (24.9 mi) north-east of ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. It followed a threat issued by the LTTE that they will carry out revenge attacks for air raids by the Sri Lanka Air Force. - January 6: 2007 Sri Lankan bus bombs2007 Sri Lankan bus bombsIn January, 2007, several bus bombs were set off in Sri Lanka*The first was on Friday, 5 January 2007, at about 18:30, during the evening rush hour, near Nittambuwa, 40 km N.E. of the capital Colombo. It used approx. 2 kilograms of explosives, killed 6 people and injured at least 30. 80...
: Peraliya - A suspected LTTE suicide bomber detonates herself inside a ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
–MataraMatara, Sri LankaMatara is a city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.-History:...
passenger bus. 16 civilians are killed and more than 50 are injured. These attacks on buses appear to be a fulfillment of threats made by the LTTE. - February 7: BatticaloaBatticaloaBatticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
: Rev. Selliah Parameswaran KurukkalSelliah Parameswaran KurukkalSelliah Parameshwaram Kurukkal was the Chief Pujari of the Santhiveli Pilleyar Kovil. He became famous after blessing Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. He was murdered four days afterwards. According to the Sri Lankan Army, he was killed by the LTTE...
, the head Priest of the Santhiveli Pilleyar Kovil and a father of three, who blessed President Mahinda RajapaksaMahinda RajapaksaPercy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
during the President's visit to Vakarai four days previously, is forcibly dragged out of his residence and shot dead by gunmen from the LTTE. The gunmen had mentioned that they were from the LTTE and they needed to question the Poosari in connection with the garlanding of the President. It is also suggested he had been targeted because he had co-operated with the security forces in order to help civilians flee the fighting around Vakarai. - March 9: Puttlam: Eight people who entered the Wilpattu National Park to investigate the grievances of the local population over wild elephant attacks, including the Sri Lanka Army Area Commander, the head Park Warden and three park rangerPark rangerA park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
s, are ambushed and massacred by the LTTE. - March 26: The LTTE mount their first air strike, bombing a government-controlled military airbase. The attack leaves three killed and 19 wounded.
- March 29: Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
: LTTE cadres kill five Indian fisherman off the coast of Tamil Nadu and kidnap twelve others. An anonymous caller initially attempts to blame the incidents on the Sri Lanka Navy. - April 1: Eravur, Batticaloa: LTTE cadres massacre six aid workers who were constructing a housing scheme named "Village of Hope" for Tamil children orphaned by the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Another three aid workers suffer serious gunshot injuries following the shooting at close range which took place at 8.15 pm local time.
- April 2: Ampara: The LTTE bomb a civilian bus in eastern Sri Lanka, killing at least 16 civilians, and wounding 25 others. Among the dead are eleven women, three men and two boys.
- April 5: Polonnaruwa: In the third attack on civilians in a week, LTTE cadres shoot dead four Sinhalese farmers.
- April 7: Piramanalankulam, Vavunia: In the second such incident in five days, the LTTE bomb a civilian bus traveling along the Vavuniya–Mannar main road at 7:30 am, killing eight and wounding a further 26 people.
- April 12: Avarantalawa, Vavuniya: Suspected LTTE raid a village at around 4:45 pm (local time) and shoot dead seven people, of six women and one man, on the eve of the traditional New Year.
- April 23: Vavuniya: The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry claimed that the LTTE cadres A bomb set off by rips through a civilian bus traveling near the town of Vavuniya killing five passengers and wounding 35.
- April 24: The LTTE mount a second air strike on Palaly, the main government-controlled military airbase in Northern Jaffna.
- April 29: Two fuel facilities were bombed by the LTTE during an air raid which they said was in response to an army strike on their positions.
- May 24: Colombo: The Sri Lankan ArmySri Lankan ArmyThe Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
claimed that it suspects Tamil Tigers exploded an IEDImprovised explosive deviceAn improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
fixed on motorbike in Colombo targeting a bus transporting Sri Lankan ArmySri Lankan ArmyThe Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
personal killing one soldier and wounding six people, including three civilians. - May 27: Thirukkovil: The Sri Lankan Military said Tamil Tiger rebels set off a road side bomb blast blew up a truck, killing the three civilians.
- May 28: Rathmalana: The Sri Lankan Military and a doctor claimed that the Tamil Tigers detonated a bomb targeting a truck carrying Sri Lanka Police Special Task ForceSpecial Task ForceThe Special Task Force is an elite special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Police Service specializing in Counter-Terrorist and Counter-Insurgency operations. It was formed in 1983 not as a military force but rather as a highly specialised police unit...
(STF) personnel at Belk Kade junction, in Rathmalana during the evening, killing seven civilians and injureding more than 39 people, including seven STF personal. Amongst dead were one pregnant mother. - July 16: TrincomaleeTrincomaleeTrincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
: Suspected Tamil Tigers gunned down Eastern provinceEastern Province, Sri LankaThe Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
chief secretary Herath Abeyweera at around 5:30 p.m. local time (12.00 GMT). - August 20: Vavuniya: Sri Lanka military claimed that Tamil Tiger rebels in a jeep opened fire on the police checkpoint in Vavuniya district, killing four home guardsDepartment of Civil Defence (Sri Lanka)The Sri Lanka Civil Security Force, officially the Department of Civil Security is a paramilitary force which is tasked as an auxiliary to the Sri Lanka Police....
including three female guards and one civilian. - September 22: Trincomalee: The Sri Lankan military claimed that suspected Tamil Tigers detonates a mine targeting a bus carrying civilians in Trincomalee district killing the driver of it and wounding two others.
- September 27: Jaffna: At least two civilians were killed and about fifteen were injured, including two policemen when LTTE rebels had triggered a road side bomb targeting a police road patrol vehicle at Chunnakam, Jaffna market area around 10.30 a.m. local time (0500 GMT).
- October 22: Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force BaseRaid on Anuradhapura Air Force BaseThe Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force Base, code-named Operation Ellaalan, was a successful commando raid conducted on SLAF Anuradhapura an Air Force Base in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam...
: LTTE attacked Anuradapura Airbase destroying more than 20 military aircrafts. - November 26: Group of LTTE cadres shot and killed four Sinhalese farmers, including one woman, at Mahawilachchiya, Anuradhapura. For details look Mahawilachchiya massacreMahawilachchiya massacreThe Mahawilachchiya massacre is an incident, where a group of four ethnic Sinhalese rice farmers, including a woman found dead with gunshot wounds on November 26, 2007 in Sri Lanka...
- November 28: Colombo: A suspected LTTE cadre blows herself up in front of the office of Douglas DevanandaDouglas DevanandaKathiravelu Nithyananda Douglas Devananda, commonly known as Douglas Devananda, is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Cabinet Minister and leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party. Originally a Sri Lanka Tamil militant who fought against the Sri Lankan government for an independent Tamil Eelam, he...
, the leader of the Eelam People's Democratic PartyEelam People's Democratic PartyThe Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:...
in an attempt to assassinate him. Devanda escapes unhurt, but his personal secretary is killed and two of his security personnel are seriously injured. - November 28: Colombo: An LTTE parcel bomb blows up a Department Store in Colombo killing 20 civilians. Amnesty International have asked the LTTE to comply with international law and halt such attacks.
2008
- January 2: Colombo: A bomb attack outside the Nipon Hotel in the Slave IslandSlave IslandSlave Island is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka located directly south of the Fort area of Colombo. The name Slave Island was given during the period of British occupation and administration, and refers to the situation under Portuguese and Dutch administration when slaves were held there, most of...
district, aimed at a Sri Lankan Army bus, killed at least four people, including a soldier and three civilians, and injured 28 others, Sri Lankan defense and hospital officials said. The Defense Ministry blamed the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the attack. - January 8: Ja-Ela: A non-cabinet Minister of Nation Building and a Member of Parliament of Sri LankaParliament of Sri LankaThe Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
, D. M. DassanayakeD. M. DassanayakeDassanayake Mudiyanselage Dassanayake was a Sri Lankan politician from the Puttalam District. He was serving as a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and non-cabinet Minister of Nation Building when he was assassinated in a roadside bomb attack on January 8, 2008 in Ja-Ela, twelve miles north of...
died of injuries sustained in a roadside bomb attack in Ja-Ela, twelve miles (19 km) north of ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
along with one of his body guard. The attack injured ten others. LTTE blamed for this assassination. - January 16: Buttala: A roadside bomb targeting a passenger bus packed with civilians, killing 27 civilians including three schoolchildren and wounding 67 others, 240 km (149.1 mi) south-east of the capital, Colombo. This attack took place on the same day that a ceasefire ended between the Tamil Tigers and the government of Sri Lanka. Also, after the blast, gunmen had started shooting passengers as they tried to flee. According to the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry, the bus was hit by a powerful Claymore-type mine which was packed with explosives and ball-bearings. The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry blames the LTTE.
- February 2: Dambulla: A bomb blast was accord on a passenger bus, 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) north of the island's capital killing 20 people and injuring 50 more. The Sri Lankan government has blamed the LTTE for this attack.
- February 3: 2008 Fort Railway Station bombing2008 Fort Railway Station BombingThe 2008 Fort Railway Station Bombing was a suicide bombing of a commuter train while it was stopped at the Fort Railway Station, Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 3, 2008. The bombing killed 12 and injured more than 100. Killed in the attack were eight school children of D. S...
: ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
- A suicide bomber exploded herself at on broad a train at the main railway station in Colombo Fort, killing eleven people and wounding 97 others. Killed in the incident where seven school children of the baseball team of D. S. Senanayake CollegeD. S. Senanayake CollegeD.S. Senanyake College is a public school in Sri Lanka, named after the first Prime Minister of Independent Sri Lanka, Rt.Hon. D.S. Senanayake. It was established on February 10, 1967 under the stewardship of RIT_Alles.-Overview:...
and their coach. - February 23: Mount Lavinia: A bomb went off in a bus in the suburban town of Mount Lavinia, 10 kilometres (six miles) south of the capital of Colombo, wounding at least 18 people including seven women and an 8-month-old infant. Government blamed on Tamil Tigers for the responsibility.
- February 23: BatticaloaBatticaloaBatticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
: A suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew himself up in east Sri Lanka on Sunday killing two members of a regional political party. - February 29: Colombo: A suicide bomber exploded himself and wounding seven included three policemen and four civilians, when Sri Lanka Police attempt to search his house during a search and cordon operation by police aimed at flushing out Tamil Tiger rebels seeking to mount attacks in the capital.
- March 2: Vavuniya: A roadside bomb exploded wounding four policemen and six civilians in a northern city of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Military blames the LTTE.
- March 10: Colombo: A bomb hidden in a roadside flowerpot in Sri Lanka's capital Monday, killing one person and injuring six others, including four children who were on their way to school. Government blamed on Tamil Tigers for the responsibility.
- April 6: 2008 Weliveriya bombing2008 Weliveriya bombingOn April 6, 2008, 15 people were killed by an alleged suicide bomber, who exploded himself at the start of a marathon race which was part of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebration in Weliweriya town, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's national athletics coach Lakshman de Alwis, politician Jeyaraj...
: Colombo - A suicide bomber killed 14 people at an opening ceremony for a marathon Sunday, including a government minister who was nearing the starting line with a flag and a former Olympian. More than 90 others were wounded in the attack. - April 25: 2008 Piliyandala bus bombing2008 Piliyandala bus bombingThe 2008 Piliyandala bombing was a bombing of a commuter bus carried out on April 25, 2008 in Piliyandala, Sri Lanka, a suburb of Colombo. The bombing killed 26 and injured at least 64,...
: Colombo - A parcel bomb explodes inside a bus in the residential suburb of Piliyandala, killing 24 and wounding 52. - May 16: Colombo: A LTTE suicide bomber on a motorcycle packed with explosives rammed into a bus carrying a police riot squad, killing 13 people which included 11 police personal and 2 civilians, and wounding 95.
- May 26: 2008 Dehiwala train bombing2008 Dehiwala train bombingThe 2008 Dehiwala train bombing was a bombing of a commuter train, running from Colombo to Panadura on May 26, 2008 in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, a suburb of Colombo. The bombing killed 9 people and injured at least 67...
: Dehiwala - A bomb exploded inside a crowded train in DehiwalaDehiwala-Mount LaviniaDehiwala-Mount Lavinia Is a newly created city lying immediately south of Colombo, one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. It is the result of certain key urban suburbs and communities combined for administrative purposes. The centres include Dehiwala and the beach resort of Mount Lavinia....
station, killing 8 people and wounding 67. The same place or very close to that place where the LTTE's Dehiwala train bombing in 1996, which resulted 64 deaths and 400 wounded. - June 4: WellawatteWellawatteWellawatte, a suburb in Colombo, lies immediately south of Bambalapitiya and is classified as zone 6 within the Colombo Municipal region. The town begins at the old Dutch canal just before the Savoy Cinema and extends all the way south to the same canal that spills into the sea just before the...
: A bomb exploded between the railway tracks hit by packed commuter train at 0710 local time between the Dehiwala and Wellawatte railway stations, was injured at least 24 people. The incident happened after one weeks time in the same area, also the Police said that they have captured the two suspects in the same day. - June 6:
- 2008 Moratuwa bus bombing2008 Moratuwa bus bombingThe 2008 Moratuwa bus bombing was a Claymore bomb explosion against a commuter bus carried out on June 6, 2008 in Katubbeda, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, a suburb of Colombo very close to the University of Moratuwa. The bombing killed 23 civilians and injured around 80.The Sri Lankan government and...
: MoratuwaMoratuwaMoratuwa is a city on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, near Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia. It is situated on the Galle–Colombo main highway, 18 km south of the capital, Colombo. Moratuwa is surrounded on three sides by water, except in the north of the city, by the Indian Ocean on the west...
- A roadside bomb exploded targeting a passenger bus during rush hour, killing 23 civilians and wounding 80 more. The Sri Lankan Government blames the LTTE. - 2008 Polgolla bus bombing2008 Polgolla bus bombingThe 2008 Polgolla bus bombing was a parcel bomb explosion inside a commuter bus carried out on June 6, 2008 in Polgolla Kandy, Sri Lanka. The bombing killed 2 civilians and injured around 20....
: Pollgolla, KandyKandyKandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
- A bomb blast occurred on a passenger bus, killing 2 civilians and wounding 20. The Sri Lankan Government blamed the LTTE.
- 2008 Moratuwa bus bombing
- June 16: VavuniyaVavuniyaVavuniya is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni....
: Suspected LTTE suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated explosives in front of a police office killing 12 policemen including 4 female police constables and wounded 40 others including school children.
2009
Date | | Attack | | Location | Sinhalese | Tamils | Muslims | | Death toll | | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
February 20 | 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo The 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo was an unsuccessful kamikaze style suicide attack launched by the air wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on February 20, 2009, targeting military locations in and around Colombo, Sri Lanka... : The LTTE launched an unsuccessful kamikaze style suicide attack targeting locations in and around Colombo. |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Colombo District Colombo District Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district... |
2 | 4 | |||
February 22 | The Sri Lanka Defence Ministry claimed that 10 people were killed by LTTE | Kirimetiya Kirimetiya Kirimetiya is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province.-External links:*... , Eastern Province Eastern Province, Sri Lanka The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was... |
10 | ||||
April 12 | Mahagodayaya massacre Mahagodayaya massacre Mahagodayaya is a tiny village near Buttala in the Monaragala District of Sri Lanka, where 9 Sinhalese civilians were killed by suspected LTTE cadres in an incident known as the Mahagodayaya massacre.- Incident :... : 9 people were killed including 2 children |
Mahagodaya, Moneragala District Moneragala District Moneragala is a district in Uva Province of Sri Lanka. It is the largest of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, with an area of 7,133 km².-Statistics:In 2008 - Source-External links:*... |
9 | 9 |
See also
- Sri Lankan Civil WarSri Lankan civil warThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
- Suicide bombing in Sri LankaSuicide Bombing in Sri LankaSuicide Bombing was a popular tactic of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam . According to Jane's Information Group, between 1980 and 2000, the LTTE carried out 168 suicide attacks causing heavy damage on civilian, economic and military targets....
- Alleged war crimes during the Sri Lankan Civil War
- Enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka
- Human rights in Sri LankaHuman rights in Sri LankaMajor human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the United States Department of State and the European Union, have expressed concern about the state of human rights in Sri Lanka. Both the government of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of...
- List of assassinations of the Sri Lankan Civil War
- List of attacks attributed to Sri Lankan government forces
- List of massacres in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka and state terrorism