Solomon Islands tension builds

Solomon Islands appeared last night to be slipping into full-scale civil war.

Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) guerrillas who took over the capital, Honiara, on June 5 have begun a ground offensive to break a cordon around the capital maintained by their rivals - the Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM).

"The Joint Command asks civilians to move out of the areas between Alligator Creek and Gold Ridge and between Kakabona and Mamara as Operation Eagle Storm intensifies," said MEF spokesman Andrew Nori.

"Unless a ceasefire is secured on terms satisfactory to Malaitans, the operation will continue.

"To date the Joint Operation has not received any invitation to attend any ceasefire or peace talks ... the IFM started the war, let them ask for peace."

The MEF took over the government and the capital at gunpoint last month after 19 months of ethnic violence between Guadalcanal islanders and settlers from neighboring Malaita island.