Channa Wickremesekera is an independent scholar and obtained his PhD from Monash University, Australia. He is the author of Best Black Troops in the World (2002) and Kandy at War (2004).

• List of maps Acknowledgements Introduction 1. From Assassins to Guerrillas: the birth of the Tamil Rebellion 2. Learning to Fight: The Sri Lankan Military 3. The First Showdown: ‘Operation Liberation’ 4. Chapter 4: The IPKF Interlude and the Tigers’ return 5. The Army on the Offensive 6. The Rise of the Sea Tigers and the Battle for Kilali 7. A New Regime, a New War 8. The Problem of the Wanni 9. The East in Ferment 10. The Rise and Fall of the Unceasing Waves 11. The Peace that Failed and the Reconquest of the East 12. The Rolling up of the Wanni 13. The Last Retreat of the Tamil Tigers Conclusions

'... it is yet convenient to have a book of reference for the major events of a conflict that took such a long tragic course for practically the parties concerned.'V.Krishna Ananth, Sikkim University, Studies in People's History

Channa Wickremesekera is an independent scholar and obtained his PhD from Monash University, Australia. He is the author of Best Black Troops in the World (2002) and Kandy at War (2004).

• List of maps Acknowledgements Introduction 1. From Assassins to Guerrillas: the birth of the Tamil Rebellion 2. Learning to Fight: The Sri Lankan Military 3. The First Showdown: ‘Operation Liberation’ 4. Chapter 4: The IPKF Interlude and the Tigers’ return 5. The Army on the Offensive 6. The Rise of the Sea Tigers and the Battle for Kilali 7. A New Regime, a New War 8. The Problem of the Wanni 9. The East in Ferment 10. The Rise and Fall of the Unceasing Waves 11. The Peace that Failed and the Reconquest of the East 12. The Rolling up of the Wanni 13. The Last Retreat of the Tamil Tigers Conclusions

'... it is yet convenient to have a book of reference for the major events of a conflict that took such a long tragic course for practically the parties concerned.'V.Krishna Ananth, Sikkim University, Studies in People's History

Channa Wickremesekera is an independent scholar and obtained his PhD from Monash University, Australia. He is the author of Best Black Troops in the World (2002) and Kandy at War (2004).

• List of maps Acknowledgements Introduction 1. From Assassins to Guerrillas: the birth of the Tamil Rebellion 2. Learning to Fight: The Sri Lankan Military 3. The First Showdown: ‘Operation Liberation’ 4. Chapter 4: The IPKF Interlude and the Tigers’ return 5. The Army on the Offensive 6. The Rise of the Sea Tigers and the Battle for Kilali 7. A New Regime, a New War 8. The Problem of the Wanni 9. The East in Ferment 10. The Rise and Fall of the Unceasing Waves 11. The Peace that Failed and the Reconquest of the East 12. The Rolling up of the Wanni 13. The Last Retreat of the Tamil Tigers Conclusions

'... it is yet convenient to have a book of reference for the major events of a conflict that took such a long tragic course for practically the parties concerned.'V.Krishna Ananth, Sikkim University, Studies in People's History