India should treat us as an 'ally': Nadesan

Colombo, Apr 5 (PTI) On the verge of defeat at the hands
of the Sri Lankan forces, the LTTE Sunday appealed to India to
treat them as their "ally".

Tamil Tigers' political head B Nadesan said the Tigers
were disappointed with India's attitude towards them and New
Delhi should not consider the LTTE as an enemy.

"We are not enemies of India or Indian interests. India
should look at us as an ally. We are disappointed with India's
attitude towards us," Nadesan told TV channel Headlines Today.

Conceding that the rebels have lost 4,000 of their cadres
in the last two years of fighting, Nadesan also claimed that
the rebels have killed over 20,000 Sri Lankan soldiers over
the period.

"Speaking in military jargon, during the last two years
of fighting more than 20,000 Sri Lankan troops have been
killed. We have also lost around 4,000 of our fighters,"
Nadesan told the channel.

He said the LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran was in "excellent
health and leading our freedom struggle".

Sri Lankan military today claimed to capture the last
rebel bastion of Pudukudiriyirippu in the island's embattled
north where they killed at least 420 LTTE cadres in fierce
fighting.

Nadesan said the rebels had "sufficient man power" and
had captured enough weapons and ammunition from the Sri Lankan
armed forces in the battlefront. PTI WAJ AKJ
SAK
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