Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

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Also known as: LTTE, Tamil Tigers, Tamil Eelam Tigers
Role: Armed Tamil separatist group that fought the Sri Lankan government until its defeat in May 2009
Appears on: The LTTE war, 1983 to 2009
War accountability at the UN

Connections (14)

Velupillai Prabhakaran / Military commander at its founding in 1976; called its leader by 2002 / Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
- The Tamil New Tigers became the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on 5 May 1976. Uma Maheswaran was its leader and Prabhakaran its military commander; many members later left with Maheswaran, and only a few loyalists stayed with Prabhakaran.21 May 2025 · Daily FT · From Valvettithurai to Nandhikkadal: Rise and fall of LTTE
- The report names Velupillai Prabhakaran as the LTTE leader who signed the 2002 ceasefire.23 Feb 2002 · Dawn · Sri Lankan govt, Tamil Tigers sign ceasefire accord
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Reported by Daily FT to have carried out / Thirunelvely ambush, 23 July 1983Allegation
- The column says the LTTE killed 13 soldiers with a landmine at Thirunelvely on 23 July 1983.21 May 2025 · Daily FT · From Valvettithurai to Nandhikkadal: Rise and fall of LTTE
Black July, 1983 / Followed by the group becoming the dominant Tamil militant force / Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
- After Black July, the column says, Tamil youths joined militant groups in large numbers and the LTTE became the dominant Tamil group.21 May 2025 · Daily FT · From Valvettithurai to Nandhikkadal: Rise and fall of LTTE
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Did not accept / Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, 1987
- The column says all Tamil groups except the LTTE accepted the 1987 agreement, that the LTTE later resumed hostilities and that the Indian army withdrew in 1990.21 May 2025 · Daily FT · From Valvettithurai to Nandhikkadal: Rise and fall of LTTE
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Began an offensive against, within months of the accord / Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF)
- The article says the LTTE began an offensive against the IPKF within months, that the IPKF suffered over 8,000 casualties by 1991 and that it returned to barracks in India without meeting its objectives.28 Nov 2022 · Outlook India · Why Rajiv Gandhi Sent IPKF To Sri Lanka And How LTTE Played Both Sides
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Named by Outlook as carrying out / Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, 1991Allegation
- The article says Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide bombing carried out by the LTTE while campaigning in 1991. It notes differing views on why: one that the LTTE feared he would redeploy the IPKF, another that it was retribution for his involvement in Sri Lanka.28 Nov 2022 · Outlook India · Why Rajiv Gandhi Sent IPKF To Sri Lanka And How LTTE Played Both Sides
- The timeline reports that he was killed on 21 May 1991 at a poll rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, by a woman suicide bomber identified as Dhanu. It does not name the LTTE. On 11 November 2022 the Supreme Court of India directed the premature release of the six remaining convicts in the case.11 Nov 2022 · The Tribune (India) · Timeline of events in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Tiger rebels reported to have carried out / Central Bank bombing, Colombo, 1996
- The report says Tamil Tiger rebels rammed the truck into the bank, and that the court found the LTTE’s leader and three other rebels guilty of masterminding it.1 Nov 2002 · Dawn · LTTE leader sentenced to 200 years in jail: Peace talks begin
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Suspected by police of the suicide bombing that killed / Ranasinghe PremadasaAllegation
- Colombo police suspected the LTTE after a suicide bomber attacked a May Day march in Colombo on 1 May 1993, killing President Premadasa, 69. The article gives no supporting evidence for the suspicion. An LTTE spokesman in London told UPI: “We are not involved in this... This assassination is not our work.”1 May 1993 · UPI · Tamil Tiger guerrillas deny involvement in Premadasa's killing
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Blamed by the Defence Ministry for / Bombing at the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, 1998Allegation
- The Irish Times reported that a suicide squad from the LTTE fired on roadblocks, drove a lorry through a gate and detonated it opposite the Temple of the Tooth. The Defence Ministry attributed the attack to the LTTE and said 13 died, including the three members of the squad. Kandy’s hospital director said 10 civilians were killed, among them two children, and 23 were wounded. The article reports no response from the LTTE.26 Jan 1998 · The Irish Times · 13 die in Tamil rebel suicide attack on Sri Lanka's main Buddhist shrine
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Described by Tamil Guardian as carrying out / Attack on Katunayake air base and Bandaranaike airport, 2001Allegation
- Tamil Guardian says 14 LTTE commandos attacked the air base and the adjoining airport, timed to mark 18 years since Black July. It reports 11 aircraft destroyed, eight military and three civilian, with total costs it estimates at over US$500 million, six military personnel killed, no civilian deaths, and all the attackers dead. It presents the raid as part of the LTTE’s military and economic strategy.24 Jul 2024 · Tamil Guardian · 23 years since the LTTE assault on Katunayake air force base
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Blamed by the Christian Science Monitor for / Suicide bombing at Chandrika Kumaratunga’s rally, December 1999Allegation
- The report attributes the suicide bombing to the LTTE, whose suicide squads it calls the Black Tigers. At least 30 people died at the rally. It does not report a response from the LTTE.20 Dec 1999 · The Christian Science Monitor · Assault on Sri Lankan leader may win votes
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) / Member convicted in Germany of assisting the killing of / Lakshman Kadirgamar
- The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court convicted an LTTE member, Navaneethan, sentencing him to six years and ten months for gathering information on the minister’s habits and security and on firing from a neighbouring building. Kadirgamar was killed in a sniper attack on 12 August 2005. No one was successfully prosecuted in Sri Lanka: of six indicted, two died, one was acquitted in 2018 and the last died in custody in June 2019.26 Jan 2020 · The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) · German court convicts Tamil guerrilla for assisting in Kadirgamar killing
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Colonel Karuna Amman) / Former commander; split from, 2004 / Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
- Human Rights Watch describes him as a former LTTE commander who split from the group in 2004 and led a pro-government armed group.23 Jun 2020 · Human Rights Watch · Sri Lanka Investigates Rebel Leader Turned Politician
UN Panel of Experts report, 25 April 2011 / Reported, per Human Rights Watch, use of civilians as human shields and killing of those fleeing / Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)Allegation
- Human Rights Watch summarises the findings against the LTTE as: using civilians as human shields and as a buffer, killing civilians trying to flee its control, forcibly recruiting children, using forced labour, and suicide attacks that killed civilians. The article carries no response from the group.25 Apr 2011 · Human Rights Watch · Sri Lanka: UN Chief Should Establish International Inquiry