Gauging Sri Lanka's Inroads in Battle Against Tigers

The island nation of Sri Lanka, off the coast of India, has been wracked by civil war for more than 25 years. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam seek an independent political state for ethnic Tamils, who make up about 18 percent of the country’s population. The government broke off a ceasefire in early 2008, and has since waged a yearlong military offensive, starting the year 2009 by reporting victories in seizing some key towns in the north and east, reports Anuj Chopra, writing for the Christian Science Monitor. But the reconciliation that leads to long-term peace could still be a distant goal, as the government vows to “crush” the group and analysts predict that the rebels will retreat to jungle areas and continue guerilla tactics. – YaleGlobal