Liberation Tigers clashed with Sri Lanka Army troopers who attempted to move beyond the no-go zone towards Puliyankulam at Omanthai Forward Defence Line in Vavuniya district around 2:00 p.m. Monday. The SLA troopers withdrew after facing resistance from the Tigers, according to LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan.
A declaration by the EU presidency, currently held by Austria, said the ban on Tamil Tiger rebels could not have been a surprise, but Colombo too must curb violence in areas under its control. It did not spell out the possible measures, but noted that the escalation of violence in the island, where more than 600 people were killed since December despite a 2002 truce, was not the fault of the the Tamil Tigers alone. "The upsurge in violence is not caused by the LTTE alone," said the three-page declaration. "The EU strongly urges the Sri Lankan authorities to curb violence in government-controlled areas. The EU notes with concern the growing number of reports of extra-judicial killings."