Although there were several requests for to agree to a ceasefire during Christmas, the government had rejected them all, Defence Ministry sources said yesterday.

The LTTE was desperate for a ceasefire but the government would not walk into that trap again, they said pointing out that the LTTEhad used all the ceasefires in the past to rearm, regroup and launch fresh attacks.

Ceasefire proposals were an indication that the LTTE was in serious difficulty and badly in need of a breather, they said.