In June 1990, just three months after the Indian Peace Keeping Force withdrawal from Sri Lanka, the war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan government resumed and was to continue unabated until another formal ceasefire in the fi rst days of January 1995.

This period of the protracted Sri Lankan civil war, known as Eelam War II, saw not only the LTTE evolve into a fully-fledged semi-conventional force, but also gain the reputation of being one of the most innovative and professional armed groups of the time. This volume covers in detail the coming into being and the tactics of the Sea Tigers, the movement’s naval wing infamous for its swarm tactics, and the developments of the LTTE’s ground forces and intelligence wings.

The Sri Lankan armed forces were no underdogs, however. On the contrary, and despite numerous flaws that plagued their efforts, they were anything but passive, launching multiple offensives which were part of a cohesive and well thought-out strategy, all the while benefiting from the leadership of several extremely gifted officers, foremost Brigadier General Denzil Kobbekaduwa.

The two warring parties thus repeatedly fought each other in battles and campaigns of size and intensity thus far unheard of, inflicting telling blows upon one another, but with neither able to gain the upper hand in the long run – until the two sides entered into a new round of negotiations which halted the conflict for just a few months.