Today (18) marks 17 years since Sri Lanka declared the end of the nearly three-decade-long conflict against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
The war officially ended on May 18, 2009, following the death of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during the final military operations in the Nandikadal area carried out by Sri Lankan security forces.
The origins of the conflict are widely traced back to July 1975 with the assassination of former Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiappah, regarded as one of the first major attacks linked to the LTTE’s separatist campaign.
Over the course of the conflict, thousands of civilians, members of the armed forces, and others lost their lives, while the country experienced extensive destruction and economic damage.
The LTTE carried out attacks targeting civilians, public transport, economic centres, and religious sites, including the Sri Maha Bodhi and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
The closure of the Mavil Aru sluice gate in the Eastern Province further escalated tensions and humanitarian concerns, eventually leading to intensified military operations.
Sri Lankan armed forces later launched coordinated offensives across multiple fronts aimed at defeating LTTE terrorism and regaining control of conflict areas.
The final phase of the war also saw large-scale humanitarian rescue operations to assist civilians trapped in conflict zones.
To mark the anniversary, the “National Victory Day Commemoration” is scheduled to be held tomorrow (19) near the War Heroes Memorial in Battaramulla under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
According to the Ranaviru Seva Authority, relatives of war heroes from the Northern and Eastern provinces are also expected to participate in this year’s commemoration ceremony.
