One of the presidential candidates barely escaped injury when a bomb went off after a rally. One person was killed and 43 injured. No one took credit for the attack. The government relieved two senior army commanders because of the army's poor performance in the north against the LTTE.

November 13; Army troops appear to have stopped the LTTE offensive, or at least slowed it down quite a lot. The army reported it had killed eleven LTTE fighters in two different incidents.

November 12; LTTE troops continue to advance, now moving into areas occupied by non-Tamil populations. Over 100,000 refugees have been created by the latest advance. The LTTE radio has told civilians to flee towns they say they will conquer.  LTTE troops attacked the town Omanthi, now one of the army's main defensive positions. A dozen soldiers were sounded. Army troops are nervous and prone to panic. The fanatical dedication of the LTTE fighters to their cause has always unnerved regular troops. Fanaticism produces unexpected situations and army training does not prepare you for this and the troops get nervous when the fanatics gain the upper hand. 

November 11; The town of Vavuniya, 260 kilometers north of the capital, is beginning to lost most of its 103,000 population as LTTE troops get closer. Although the town is defended by fortifications and a large military garrison, the locals believe that the LTTE can take the place if they set their mind to it.