Sri Lankan Civil War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sri Lankan Civil Warශ්රී ලාංකික සිවිල් යුද්ධය இலங்கை உள்நாட்டுப் போர் |
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The area of Sri Lanka claimed by the LTTE as Tamil Eelam, where the vast majority of the fighting took place |
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Indian Peace Keeping Force (1987–1990) |
Tamil Tigers | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
J. R. Jayawardene (1983–1989) Rajiv Gandhi † (1987–1989) |
V. Prabhakaran † Balraj Karuna Amman (1983–2004) KP Mahattaya Pottu Amman Shankar † Soosai † |
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Strength | |||||||||
Sri Lanka Armed Forces: 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) |
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Casualties and losses | |||||||||
40,107 wounded 1,200 killed |
27,000+ killed 11,644 captured |
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80,000-100,000 killed overall (estimate) 800,000 displaced at peak in 2001 |
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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. |
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.
Images for kids
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Improvised armoured bulldozer used by the LTTE in the operation Aakaya Kadal Veli, also known as the First Battle of Elephant Pass (1991), one of the major battles. This bulldozer was destroyed by Cpl. Gamini Kularatne. Today it stands on display as a war memorial.
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Canadian Tamils block University Avenue, Toronto demonstrating against the Sri Lankan forces.
See also
In Spanish: Guerra civil de Sri Lanka para niños