Sri Lanka president vows to crush LTTE

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse vowed on Monday to continue his present military thrust against Tamil Tiger rebels in the embattled north while offering a political solution to end grievances of the Tamil minority.

Addressing the 60th anniversary of independence, Rajapakse said" we will liberate the north from the clutches of terrorism and also provide a political solution and bring political freedom to the people."

Rajapakse said over a half of Sri Lanka's 60 years since independence from Britain had been spent while grappling with terrorism, which was a reference to the armed separatist campaign carried out by Tamil Tigers on behalf of the Tamil minority in the north and east.

The president was addressing a ceremony held under tight security level never seen in the capital for such a ceremony.

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