Sri Lanka gets arms help from Israel, Russia, as rebels advance

NEW DELHI [MENL] -- Sri Lanka acknowledged that it has succeeded in its worldwide search for immediate deliveries of weapons and ammunition.

Sri Lankan officials have refused to say where the new weapons are arriving from. But diplomatic sources said the two key suppliers are Israel and Russia.

The military has failed to stop an advance by the Tamil Tiger rebels, who are approaching the northern peninsula city of Jaffna. The rebels have called for a surrender of the city, where 50,000 government troops are deployed.

On Wednesday, Sri Lankan officials acknowledged that the rebels have broken through parts of a military defense line to protect Jaffna. But the officials said the city remains under government control.

Sri Lanka's ambassador to India, Mangala Moonasinghe, told the private Star-TV network that his country has received weapons. He would not give any details.

India, with millions of Tamils in the south, has refused to help Sri Lanka. Memories are still fresh in New Dehli of the 1987 Indian effort to help Sri Lanka. In three years of fighting, about 2,000 Indian soldiers were killed.

The ambassador denied reports that Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar asked for military help during a visit to New Delhi last week.