Tamil tigers extend unilateral ceasefire

Tamil Tiger guerrillas in Sri Lanka say they have extended their unilateral ceasefire by another month, to the end of March 24th .

A rebel statement issued in London has also appealed to the international community to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to reciprocate and start peace talks to end nearly two decades of civil war.

The rebels first announced their ceasefire in December, and have extended it twice since.

But the government has insisted that there can only be a ceasefire if peace talks begin, and are seen to be making progress.

The Tigers, for their part, say there can be no peace talks while fighting is going on.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service