Lankan troops take key town from Tiger rebels

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COLOMBO, Nov 15 (AFP): Sri Lankan security forces Saturday captured the strategically important northern town of Pooneryn from Tamil Tiger rebels after months of heavy fighting, the defence ministry said.
"Troops of army Task Force One have entered LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) bastion of Pooneryn this morning (Saturday)," the ministry said in a statement.
Tigers had been occupying Pooneryn after dislodging the main military base there in November 1993.
There was no immediate comment from the Tigers, who had conceded that security had moved deep into territory held by them in the northern parts of the country since the middle of last year.