UNP leader urged GoSL to get help from international players

Speaking in the Indian city of Chennai on his way home from Dubai to Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremasinghe, said the government was unable to deal with the Tiger rebels on its own.

"(The) situation in Sri Lanka is serious. I think the government of Sri Lanka now has to talk to the government of India, with the EU, with the United States and decide what course of action has to be taken," he told journalists.

Sri Lanka tightened security after Tamil Tigers launched three air strikes within weeks. Colombo's main international airport to be closed for nights from next week.

Because unless and until we can get mobilised and get together all our people and get together the international support which we had earlier, it is not possible to resolve this conflict Wickramasinghe in Chennai

The Sri Lanka government, opposition leader said, should mobilise the international support against the latest threat posed by the LTTE.

"Unless and until we can get mobilised and get together all our people and get together the international support which we had earlier, it is not possible to resolve this conflict. The government so far has not been able to do that."

Wickramasinghe was heavily criticised by the Sinhala nationalists after he signed a peace deal with the Tamil Tigers in February 2002.

However criticising him as a "cunnig fox", the LTTE forced Tamils under their control to boycott the November 2005 presidential elections, in which Wickramasinghe and President Mahinda Rajapaksa were the main contenders.