France warns nationals against Lanka visits

PARIS, Nov 30 (Reuters) - France warned its nationals against making non-essential visits to Sri Lanka on Thursday because of an increase in violence and suicide attacks.

In an advisory published on its Web site (www.diplomatie.gouv.fr), the Foreign Ministry strongly advised French visitors to avoid the north and east of the country, where the military are fighting Tamil Tiger rebels, and warned against non-urgent travel in the rest of the country.

“Given the resumption in violence and suicide attacks ... (travellers are) advised for the moment to reconsider all non-essential travel to Sri Lanka,” the ministry said.

The Sri Lankan military fought a fierce artillery duel with Tamil Tigers in the restive east on Tuesday just hours after the rebels said they were resuming their independence struggle.

Sri Lanka's two-decade civil war has killed more than 67,000 civilians, troops and rebel fighters since 1983, around 3,000 of them this year alone.