Threats fly between rival Tigers

Thousands have fled the violence in the east of Sri Lanka

Mainstream Tamil Tiger rebels and a renegade commander in east Sri Lanka are trading threats and accusations, amid fears more fighting is imminent.

Thousands of civilians have fled the east after mainstream rebels attacked renegade Colonel Karuna's troops.

Col Karuna has been accused by the Tigers' leadership of betraying the cause of the Tamil people as a whole.

He has hit back, saying the mainstream Tigers have started a tragic history on the island by provoking the rupture.

We have begun a co-ordinated operation to expel Karuna from the Tamil homeland Mainstream Tamil Tigers statement

Varathan, a spokesman for Col Karuna, also said the breakaway faction had "the men and firepower to stand any attack" by the mainstream rebels.

He acknowledged that more than 200 of Col Karuna's force had been captured or had surrendered, while another 10 had been killed in the recent action.

Fresh allegations

The latest round in the war of the words between the two groups began with a statement from the northern Tigers which urged the parents of Karuna's soldiers "to take home their children".

Map of the disputed region

The statement from the political section of the Tamil Tiger movement said Col Karuna, who has been expelled from the organisation, was stopping soldiers from crossing sides to rejoin the mainstream Tamil Tigers.

The statement is a further demonstration of how deep the split in the Tamil Tiger movement is, says the BBC's Anna Horsburgh-Porter in Colombo.

Retreat

Col Karuna declared his own separate administration in the east a month ago.

He cited northern discrimination against the eastern wing as his motivation.

Karuna cited northern discrimination as reason for breaking away

Clashes erupted early on Friday between his troops and the mainstream Tiger faction around the Verugal river.

Col Karuna's forces have now retreated south from their frontline positions.

The area was reported quiet on Saturday morning, with a military spokesman saying rebel forces had withdrawn.

At least nine fighters are thought to have been killed and another nine people injured.

The casualty figures come from rebel sources but relate only to the south of the area affected, not to the north, so the figures may be higher.

The Red Cross said supplies were being sent to the area to help people fleeing villages.

FIGHTING IN THE EAST

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