Photos: Theechudar.com

A clandestine event to remember Tamil fighters was held at the former site of a cemetery in Puthukudiyiruppu.

The cemetery, in which thousands of LTTE fighters were buried, was destroyed by the Sri Lankan state after the end of the armed conflict.

Photos: Tamil Guardian

Fearing reprisals from the Sri Lankan state, several households commemorated the Tamil national remembrance day in secret at their homes.

Photos from the North-East show candles lit to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

An increased military presence and fear of reprisals had dissuaded many Tamils from participating in the more public events, local sources told the Tamil Guardian on Friday evening.

Photos: Theechsudar.com

Tamils from Kilinochchi gathered at an undisclosed location to commemorate Maaveerar Naal on Friday evening. Sri Lankan intelligence officers were however seen observing the event, theechsudar.com reported.

A sacrificial lamp was lit and gloriosa lilies and candles were placed at a shrine by officials, relatives of those who died and other locals.

Maaveerar Naal was commemorated by the people of Batticaloa on Friday evening at a historic site in Thuraineelavanai.

Current and former Batticaloa politicians also observed the day with a service at the office of TNA MP, S. Yogeswaran.

Several Tamil youths gathered in Manipay today to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

Tamils living in Doha, Qatar marked Maaveerar Naal alongside Tamils across the world on Friday.

Alongside makeshift graves, dozens of photos of those who died during the struggle for liberation were posted.

Tamil youth in Mullaitivu have commemorated Maaveerar Naal despite facing intense intimidation from Sri Lankan military.

Young people came together on a beach in Mullaitivu to light a commemorative flame at 18.05, a Maaveerar Naal tradition observed in tribute to the exact time of the death of the first LTTE cadre, Lt Shankar.

Canadian Tamils have been gathering in Toronto's Markham Fairgrounds since early Friday morning to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

Events began with the lighting of the commemorative flame at 7.35am EST to coincide with the time of 18.05 in the homeland, the traditional moment for lighting the flame to mark the death of Lt Shankar, the first Maaveerar.

A live-stream of the ongoing event can be watched below.