Sri Lanka: Overview

Travel Warning: Tamil Fighting - Dangerous Areas

Fighting between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) continues to result in civilian casualties and homelessness in the country's north. Some reports claim that up to 150,000 people have been displaced since the fighting erupted in 2007: more than 60,000 were displaced in July 2008 alone. Travellers should stay well clear of the Jaffna, Mannar, Welioya, and Vavuniya regions.

Areas north of a line following the highway from Puttalam through Anuradhapura to Trincomalee, and east down to Batticaloa are unsafe for travellers as are the eastern areas around Ampara and Arugam Bay. Any travel to these areas should be reconsidered. The security situation in the Jaffna Peninsula remains especially volatile, with heavy fighting between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels ongoing. Parts of these northern and eastern areas are heavily mined.

For further updates check this Safe Travel site.

The capital, Colombo , has experienced a number of bombings over the last few months. On 26 May, a peak-hour commuter train was bombed, causing eight deaths and more than 70 injuries. On 3 February, a suicide bomber killed at least 11 people and injured nearly 100 at Colombo's main train station, while an explosion killed at least 16 civilians in a busy shopping district on 28 November. Travellers should exercise extreme caution, monitor local news sources and heed any local warnings regarding safety.

severity: High-level alert