Tigers accuse army over killings

The Tigers say a proxy war is being waged against them

Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka have accused the security forces of "creating the conditions for war".

A statement released through the pro-Tiger website, TamilNet, said that two attacks carried out on Monday were "gross violations of a ceasefire".

One rebel was killed in the attacks in the eastern town of Batticaloa and three others were injured.

The Tiger statement in "no uncertain terms" said that "if war is thrust on us, we are prepared to respond".

Ceasefire strained

The Tigers allege that a breakaway leader has received military backing for recent killings and abductions.

We have told the Sri Lanka army officers several times during phone conversations and during discussions that stopping killings in the east is in [the] Sri Lanka army's hands Tamil Tiger statement

The government has admitted that elements within the military supported the breakaway Tiger commander, Colonel Karuna - but denies this was officially sanctioned.

It said in a statement on Monday that it regretted the deaths in the east, and that an investigation was under way.

The BBC's Frances Harrison in Colombo says that the latest killings are putting a strain on Sri Lanka's ceasefire and eroding trust between the rebels and military.

'Proxy war'

The eastern part of Sri Lanka has been plagued by violence since Colonel Karuna split from the rebels in April.

The Tamil Tigers launched an offensive to retake the areas controlled by him a month later, and he went underground.

They say that peace talks cannot resume until the colonel is stopped.

The Tigers say a proxy war is being waged against them while the government talks about peace.

Since 1987 more than 240 rebels have been killed in suicide attacks as part of the Tigers' struggle for a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka's north and east.

A ceasefire was signed in 2002, but peace efforts have since stalled.