Colombo, Nov 26: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels will observe their annual heroes' day tomorrow to honour more than 17,500 LTTE war dead. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they have decorated the rebel-held regions of the island's north-east with red and yellow flags and lit lamps to commemorate 17,708 LTTE men and women killed during the civil war.

"It is only through their sacrifices the struggle for the rights of the Tamil people has captured the attention of the international community in the present time," the LTTE's peace secretariat website said today. The LTTE came into existence in 1972 but the first Tiger casualty was on November 27, 1982.

Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, who marks his 49th birthday today, took part in a 'heroes' week' celebration yesterday at an undisclosed location, the website said.

The celebrations culminate with an address by him tomorrow.

Bureau Report