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Nine die in Tamil clash in Sri Lanka

Nine combatants were killed in the latest fighting between government soldiers and separatist Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka's volatile north, the military said yesterday, just days after the country's 2002 ceasefire collapsed.

Clashes between soldiers and insurgents on Friday in northern Mannar district left six rebels dead, a defense ministry official said.

Separate violence, also in the north, killed two rebels and a soldier, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

There was no immediate comment from the rebels.

Meanwhile, an international rights group implored the UN on Friday to send observers to help protect civilians in Sri Lanka's civil war when European truce monitors depart following the collapse of the country's 2002 ceasefire.

Sri Lanka's government officially notified peace-broker Norway late on Thursday that it is pulling out from the truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the Norwegian-led monitoring team later announced the end of their mission.

The imminent departure of European monitors from Sri Lanka highlights the need for a UN human rights monitoring mission, the New-York based Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Friday.

"The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was deeply flawed, but its monitors helped to minimize abuses against civilians," said Elaine Pearson, the group's deputy Asia director. "Now the need for a UN monitoring mission is greater than ever."

The Norwegian-brokered cease-fire becomes invalid on Jan. 16 -- or 14 days after the government's formal notice to the Norwegians.

The government has said that growing violence during the last two years has made the agreement irrelevant.

"It must be underlined that this agreement with the LTTE was seriously flawed from the very inception," Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told reporters on Friday.

He claimed the government at the time kept the contents of the agreement under wraps and did not consult Parliament before signing it.

He said the rebels used the truce period to kill opponents -- including former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and many intelligence and military officers -- and strengthen itself militarily.

However, he said the government "while dealing militarily to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our land, will spare no effort in our bid to arrive at a practical and sustainable political settlement."

Bogollagama said Norway would have a "redefined" role, but did not suggest that he give up its role as mediator.

"We don't see Norwegian facilitation needs to be ended along with the termination of the cease-fire agreement," Bogollagama said.
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