Two EU states quit Lanka mission

The withdrawal is 'not good for the mission'

Finland and Denmark are to withdraw their ceasefire monitors from Sri Lanka, after the Tamil Tigers demanded that EU states quit the mission.

Sweden - the only other EU state in the monitoring mission (SLMM) - said its teams would stay on for now.

The rebels demanded the withdrawal of the three states after the EU listed the Tigers as a terrorist group.

The Tigers said the monitors should leave by 1 September - which Finland and Denmark have agreed to do.

"That is not good for the mission," SLMM spokesman Thorfinnur Omarsson told the BBC.

"It will affect the operational effectiveness of the SLMM and ultimately affect the people of Sri Lanka."

The three EU states provide 40 of the 57 monitors on the team.

The rebels say EU member states can no longer be neutral

Norway and Iceland have said they cannot fill the gaps alone.

The Sri Lankan government had said it wanted the EU states to stay.

Sweden said it would continue to fulfil its part of the mission for now.

"Sweden will await decisions from the Sri Lankan government and the rebels," foreign ministry spokesman Jan Janonius told AFP news agency.

"In the meantime the 15-strong Swedish contingent will continue to carry out its duties as normal," Mr Janonius said. "We have not given up."

Meanwhile, Norway has said it will continue efforts to mediate in the conflict.

The rebels demanded the pull-out because they said individuals from EU member states could no longer be neutral in observing the four-year-old ceasefire.

The truce has been severely undermined in the recent upsurge of violence.

Fresh raids

More than 700 people have been killed since the beginning of the year, with many civilians among the casualties.

In the latest violence, government war planes on Friday struck rebel targets in the north east of the island for the third consecutive day.

Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told the AFP news agency that the bombing campaign was aimed at opening an irrigation canal allegedly shut down by the rebels.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from the latest strikes.

Thursday's attacks killed six insurgents, according to the rebels.