Sri Lanka rebel HQ 'to fall soon'
Thursday, 27 November 2008
The Sri Lankan army has said that the capture of the Tamil Tiger rebels' stronghold of Kilinochchi is imminent, reports BBC.
Kilinochchi is the rebels' de facto capital in the north and troops have been attacking it from three directions since Sunday morning.
The rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for Tamils in the north and east since 1983 and 70,000 people have died in the violence.
The Tamil Tigers have not yet commented on the army claims.The spokesman said the rebels appeared to be retreating.
Heavy fighting has been going on in the area for the past few days as the Sri Lankan military makes a final push to claim the territory.
The defence ministry has said in a statement that its soldiers are also closing in on Mullaitivu, where the rebels are believed to have concentrated their forces following recent army advances elsewhere in the north.
On Tuesday the army said troops had captured the village of Olumadu, on the A34 road to Mullaitivu.
The pro-rebel website, TamilNet, has not commented on the latest fighting but on Tuesday released photos of "dead soldiers" from the fighting around Kilinochchi.
Kilinochchi is the rebels' de facto capital in the north and troops have been attacking it from three directions since Sunday morning.
The rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for Tamils in the north and east since 1983 and 70,000 people have died in the violence.
The Tamil Tigers have not yet commented on the army claims.The spokesman said the rebels appeared to be retreating.
Heavy fighting has been going on in the area for the past few days as the Sri Lankan military makes a final push to claim the territory.
The defence ministry has said in a statement that its soldiers are also closing in on Mullaitivu, where the rebels are believed to have concentrated their forces following recent army advances elsewhere in the north.
On Tuesday the army said troops had captured the village of Olumadu, on the A34 road to Mullaitivu.
The pro-rebel website, TamilNet, has not commented on the latest fighting but on Tuesday released photos of "dead soldiers" from the fighting around Kilinochchi.