The Sri Lankan government said Monday that its combat operations against Tamil Tiger rebels have reached their conclusion and the security forces will end the use of heavy caliber guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian causalities.

Tamil civilians flee to government controlled areas from Tamil Tiger rebels' last territory in Puthukkudiyiruppu, northern Sri Lanka, April 24, 2009. [Xinhua]

"Our security forces will confine their attempts to rescuing civilians who are held hostage and give foremost priority to saving civilians," the presidential secretariat said in a short statement.

The statement came a day after the government rejected a unilateral ceasefire announcement of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Both the government and the LTTE are facing amounting international pressure to cease hostilities to save the lives of civilians still being trapped in a 10-sq-km safety zone in northern Sri Lanka.

(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2009)