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LTTE — Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

LTTE stands for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. It was a militant organisation founded in Sri Lanka in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran. The LTTE fought for a separate Tamil homeland called 'Tamil Eelam' in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Civil War ended in May 2009 when the LTTE was militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan Army. LTTE has been banned in India since 1992.

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What is LTTE and what happened to it?

Answer

LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) was a militant organisation founded in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran in Sri Lanka. It fought for a separate Tamil state ('Tamil Eelam') and was one of the most dangerous militant groups globally. It assassinated Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The LTTE was banned in India in 1992 and was militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan Army in May 2009, ending the 26-year civil war.

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Key Facts

LTTE = Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; also called Tamil Tigers.

Founded in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran in Sri Lanka.

Fought for a separate Tamil state 'Tamil Eelam' in northern Sri Lanka.

Assassinated Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991 at Sriperumbudur.

Banned in India since 1992; also banned by USA, EU, UK.

LTTE militarily defeated by Sri Lankan Army in May 2009; Prabhakaran killed 18 May 2009.

LTTE — History, Formation, and Defeat

Full Form: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Also Known As: Tamil Tigers

Key Facts: • Founded: 1976 • Founder: Velupillai Prabhakaran • Headquarters: Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka (during war) • Goal: Creation of a separate Tamil state 'Tamil Eelam' in northern and eastern Sri Lanka • Ideology: Tamil nationalism, separatism • Active: 1976–2009

Background: • Sri Lanka has two main ethnic groups: Sinhalese (majority, ~75%) and Tamils (~15%) • Post-independence tensions escalated due to language policies favouring Sinhala • Tamil community felt politically and economically marginalised • LTTE emerged from earlier Tamil political movements

Notable Activities: • One of the first organisations to use suicide bombing systematically ('Black Tigers') • Assassinated Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991 (Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu) • Assassinated Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa (1993) • Controlled a de facto state in northern Sri Lanka at its peak • Had a naval wing ('Sea Tigers') and air wing ('Air Tigers')

India–LTTE Relations: • India initially supported Tamil cause diplomatically • IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) deployed in Sri Lanka (1987–1990) under Indo-Sri Lanka Accord • LTTE banned in India since 14 May 1992 (after Rajiv Gandhi assassination) • Currently designated as a terrorist organisation by India, USA, EU, UK, and others

End of LTTE: • Sri Lanka launched final offensive in 2009 • Prabhakaran killed on 18 May 2009 • LTTE formally defeated by Sri Lankan Army in May 2009, ending 26-year civil war

Significance for Indian Students: • Rajiv Gandhi assassination (1991) — important for modern Indian history • IPKF mission — Indian foreign policy • Sri Lankan civil war — featured in UPSC exams and Class 12 Political Science

Questions and Answers

What is LTTE and what happened to it?+

LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) was a militant organisation founded in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran in Sri Lanka. It fought for a separate Tamil state ('Tamil Eelam') and was one of the most dangerous militant groups globally. It assassinated Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The LTTE was banned in India in 1992 and was militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan Army in May 2009, ending the 26-year civil war.

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