COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka will not declare a ceasefire despite growing international concern about 250,000 civilians trapped by fighting with Tamil rebels, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said on Friday.

"There will be no ceasefire," the minister told reporters after a meeting with Colombo-based diplomats. "We will continue with our military operations and we will continue to liberate areas which had not been liberated so far."

His remarks came amid growing concern for the safety of civilians trapped in the northeast of the island, where the defence ministry says it is conducting the final phase of operations against Tamil Tiger guerrillas.

Courtesy: Yahoo.com