Tamil rebels announce temporary cease-fire

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, July 21 (UPI) -- Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka will unilaterally halt their attacks during an upcoming regional summit, the group's political wing said Monday.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is to hold its 15th annual meeting Sunday through Aug. 3 in Colombo, and the rebels said their cease-fire would begin the day before the conference and last one day beyond.

"As a sign of this goodwill, our movement is glad to inform that it will observe a unilateral cease-fire that is devoid of military actions during the (summit) and give our cooperation for the success of the conference," the rebels' political wing said in a news release.

However, the statement continued, "At the same time if the occupying Sinhala forces, disrespecting our goodwill gesture of our people and our nation, carry out any offensives, our movement will be forced to take defensive actions."

The economic development group includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.

Sri Lankan government troops have been battling the Tamil Tiger rebels for years and recently have claimed major victories in the group's stronghold in the country's northern region.

The rebels' political wing's statement announcing the cease-fire railed against the government's "monstrous war" against Tamils with the "intent on occupying and enslaving the Tamil homeland."