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Sri Lankan Civil War facts for kids

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Sri Lankan Civil War
ශ්‍රී ලාංකික සිවිල් යුද්ධය
இலங்கை உள்நாட்டுப் போர்
Location Tamil Eelam territorial claim

The area of Sri Lanka claimed by the LTTE as Tamil Eelam, where the vast majority of the fighting took place
Date 23 July 1983 – 18 May 2009
(25 years, 9 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Location
Result

Sri Lankan government victory

Territorial
changes
Government regains total control of former LTTE-controlled areas in the North and East of the country.
Belligerents

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

India Indian Peace Keeping Force (1987–1990)
Tamil Tigers
Commanders and leaders

Sri Lanka J. R. Jayawardene (1983–1989)
Sri Lanka Ranasinghe Premadasa (1989–1993)
Sri Lanka D. B. Wijetunga (1993–1994)
Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga (1994–2005)
Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005–2009)

India R. Venkataraman (1987–1989)
India Rajiv Gandhi (1987–1989)
V. Prabhakaran 
Balraj
Karuna Amman (1983–2004)
KP
Mahattaya  Executed
Pottu Amman
Shankar 
Soosai 
Strength

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Armed Forces:
95,000 (2001)
118,000 (2002)
158,000 (2003)
151,000 (2004)
111,000 (2005)
150,900 (2006)
210,000 (2008)

India Indian Peace Keeping Force:
100,000 (peak)
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(excluding Auxiliary forces):
6,000 (2001)
7,000 (2003)
18,000 (2004)
11,000 (2005)
8,000 (2006)
7,000 (2007)
(including Auxiliary forces):
25,000 (2006)
30,000 (2008)
Casualties and losses

Sri Lanka 28,708 killed

40,107 wounded India 1,200 killed
27,000+ killed
11,644 captured
80,000-100,000 killed overall (estimate)
800,000 displaced at peak in 2001
16 May 2009: Sri Lankan Government declared a military defeat of LTTE.
17 May 2009: LTTE admit defeat by Sri Lankan Government.
19 May 2009: President Mahinda Rajapaksa officially declares end of civil war in parliament.
Tractors. Jan 2009 displacement in the Vanni
Civilians being forced to leave their homes because of the fighting. January 2009.

The Sri Lankan Civil War was a war fought in the island of Sri Lanka. It started on 23 July 1983. There was an insurgency against the government by the terrorist organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (also called the Tamil Tigers). They are a separatist militant organisation which fought to create an independent state for Tamil people called Tamil Eelam in the north and the east of the island.

The war lasted for 26 years. The Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009.


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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Guerra civil de Sri Lanka para niños

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