11.   Kinshasa has consistently refused all offers to negotiate with the rebels and two weeks ago, announced it would launch a counter offensive to retake the area.

12.   Microsoft competitors are preparing a counter offensive of their own.

13.   On previous occasions the LTTE withdrew in the face of massive military advances only to launch counter offensives after wearing out the soldiers.

14.   The defence ministry also said that troops killed four rebels in the counter offensive but the rebels admitted losing six.

15.   The figures did not include the pre-dawn counter offensive.