Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said on Sunday that it has announced a unilateral ceasefire in the face of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and in response to the calls made by the international community, but the offer has been rejected by the government.

"In the face of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and in response to the calls made by the UN, EU,the governments of the United States, India and others, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has announced a unilateral ceasefire," the peace secretariat of the LTTE said in a statement.

"All of LTTE's offensive military operations will cease with immediate effect," the statement added.

However, the Sri Lankan government has rejected the ceasefire offer, insisting that the LTTE must lay down arms and surrender.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2009)