The 17-year-old armed conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and a Tamil separatist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), continues. Combat operations in the north-central and eastern parts of the country have been intermittent and often intense. Since March 2000, there have been particularly violent confrontations between government forces and the LTTE in the Jaffna Peninsula. Sri Lankan defense regulations restrict travel in much of the island’s northern area,
including Wilpattu and Gal-Oya national parks.

Yala National Park in the southeast was closed following several terrorist incidents in July 1996, but Block One of the Park has since re-opened. Travelers are advised not to travel to the north, east and far southeast of the country. Travelers should not travel further north than Puttalam on the west coast and Anuradhapura in the central north of the country, nor further east than Polonaruwa and Badulla. Travelers are advised not to travel to Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Arugam Bay. The U.S. Government maintains tight security procedures regarding travel of U.S. Government employees, officials and dependents to the north, east and far southeast.

The 17-year-old armed conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and a Tamil separatist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), continues. Combat operations in the north-central and eastern parts of the country have been intermittent and often intense. Since March 2000, there have been particularly violent confrontations between government forces and the LTTE in the Jaffna Peninsula. Sri Lankan defense regulations restrict travel in much of the island’s northern area,
including Wilpattu and Gal-Oya national parks.

Yala National Park in the southeast was closed following several terrorist incidents in July 1996, but Block One of the Park has since re-opened. Travelers are advised not to travel to the north, east and far southeast of the country. Travelers should not travel further north than Puttalam on the west coast and Anuradhapura in the central north of the country, nor further east than Polonaruwa and Badulla. Travelers are advised not to travel to Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Arugam Bay. The U.S. Government maintains tight security procedures regarding travel of U.S. Government employees, officials and dependents to the north, east and far southeast.