Finally an alternative to air and sea travel

The reopening of the highway to civilian traffic was one of the main points in the ceasefire agreement which took effect in February.

Jaffna residents had pressed for the move to allow them an alternative to expensive air or sea travel to the rest of the island.

Last week Sri Lanka lifted a six-year ban on domestic flights and cleared the way for commercial airlines to resume services to the war-ravaged Jaffna peninsula.

Flights were banned in 1996 amid fears that the rebels would hijack a domestic airline to carry out an attack.

Rebel chief

The latest peace move comes just days before the Tamil Tigers' reclusive chief, Velupillai Prabhakaran, meets the media for the first time in a decade.

Mr Prabhakaran will meet journalists in the rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi and spell out his position on the peace process.

The rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for the Tamil minority in the north and the east - something which the government rejects.

More than 60,000 people have died in two decades of fighting between the Tamil Tigers and the government.