Oct 21, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has commenced hearing cases of former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) members in two of the four special courts set up for that purpose.

Justice Ministry Secretary Kamalini de Silva has said that two courts have been established in Mannar and Vavuniya to expedite the hearing of cases against LTTE suspects.

She has noted that two more courts are to be established in Anuradhapura and Colombo for the purpose.

The government in May this year had informed parliament that there were some 359 LTTE suspects in local prisons and 309 cases have to be heard.