Lanka blames rebel split for killings

Accusing "factions" of the killing, the government said the splinter groups oppose a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire between the government and the Tigers.

"There are factions working to sabotage the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)," government spokesman Mangala Samaraweera told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

"It's the work of those who want to see the ceasefire agreement come to an end. In a way, the ceasfire has been violated by such people."

A senior Tamil Tiger leader, E. Koushalyan, a former Tamil legislator and four other rebels were gunned down Monday in the eastern Batticaloa district in a government-controlled area.

There has been no claim of responsibility but Tamil Tigers have blamed rebel renegades working with Sri Lanka's military.

Military officials say they suspect the attack was by a breakaway faction of the Tamil Tigers led by the former number two in the rebel leadership, known as Karuna.

Both Colombo and the Tigers have called the killings a breach of the truce in place since February 2002.

The government said it heightened fears of a return to war in the island nation. Over 60,000 people died in Sri Lanka's conflict between 1972 and 2002 when the ceasefire went into effect.

Koushalyan was the most senior Tiger to be gunned down since the truce started. Peace talks have remained deadlocked since April 2003.