Colombo: The two Sri Lanka-based Tamil Tiger rebel leaders left Colombo for Germany on February 3, four days ahead of their next round of peace talks in Berlin, officials said.

The political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S P Thamilselvan, and Eastern military commander Karuna travelled from their hideout in the North and East respectively in two military helicopters and reached the Colombo international airport.

The duo together with their aides travelled in a Sri Lankan aircraft to Zurich from where they were to take a connecting flight to Berlin where the two-day negotiations will commence on February 7 at the Norwegian Embassy there.

The Tigers completely destroyed four Sri Lankan aircraft and devastated the airport in a major suicide bomb attack in July 2001. Since the peace process began with a ceasefire in February 2002, the Tigers have been going through the Colombo international airport.

The negotiations in Berlin will be the fifth round of talks between Colombo and the LTTE since formal face-to-face talks arranged by peace-broker Norway opened in September.

The talks are expected to focus on Human Rights, with the question of the LTTE's recruitment of child soldiers given top billing following a visit to Colombo at the weekend by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) executive director Carol Bellamy.

Diplomatic sources said two other members of the LTTE peace negotiating team, Anton Balasingham and his Australian-born wife Adele, were expected to reach Berlin from their base in London on February 6.

PTI