Colombo: Sri Lankan troops were placed on maximum alert today (Mar 7, 2004) as the breakaway faction of Tamil Tigers expressed fears that their leader in the East was being targeted for assassination and vowed to hit back.

Rebels close to regional commander V Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, said he had reports that two groups had been sent to get him after he was dismissed yesterday (Mar 6, 2004) by Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Fears of factional fighting prompted Government security forces to go on red alert, military officials said adding that they were worried about being dragged into the conflict.

"One party or the other could try to attack our troops to drag us into this," a military official said. "We have asked troops remain on maximum alert and take all precautions to prevent being targeted at this stage."

With Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) breaking into two, the Norwegian-backed truce is now in doubt although all sides have said they will abide by it, officials and diplomats said.

Karuna split up from the LTTE after accusing the movement of giving key positions to ethnic Tamils from the North, overlooking his Eastern region, which usually provides the bulk of the fighting strength of the Tigers.

Tamils, who are Sri Lanka's main minority, have minor regional differences between the North and the East.