Colombo - The Sri Lankan government Friday ruled out a truce with Tamil rebels as security forces continued operations and moved further into rebel-held territory in the North.

Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told reporters that ongoing military operations would continue in the Mullaitivu district, 380 kilometres northeast of Colombo
- but a 48-hour period had been given for civilians to move into safer areas.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday assured that a safe passage would be provided for civilians to move out, but wanted Tamil rebels to allow the free movement of civilians within the next 48 hours. The deadline ends at Saturday midnight local time.

However, providing the safe passage did not interrupt military operations, as other Tamil rebel-held areas away from the safe passage needed to be captured, military officials said.

Tamil rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam claimed Friday that security forces had attacked civilian targets - a claim denied by the army.

"Only a permanent ceasefire mooted by the international community and negotiations followed by it will resolve the conflict as envisaged by the Tamil people and the LTTE", rebel political wing leader B. Nadesan was quoted as saying by the pro-rebel Tamil net website.

Local and international organizations have expressed concern about the plight of the civilians caught up in the conflict as government troops enter the final stages of a major offensive to recapture rebel-held areas in northern and eastern parts.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN are among organizations that have expressed concern over the civilians. On Thursday they helped to transfer critically ill and injured persons out of the conflict zones into government-controlled areas.

The aid agencies estimate that there around 250,000 civilians held up in the rebel-held areas, but the government puts the number at about 150,000 civilians.

The Sri Lankan Navy deployed in the northeastern coastal areas meanwhile said it had destroyed a rebel suicide boat earlier in the day. (dpa)