Sri Lanka captures last stretch of rebel-held coast (Lead)
May 16th, 2009 - 11:15 am ICT by IANSColombo, May 16 (DPA) The Sri Lankan security forces Saturday took the final strip of coast held by Tamil Tigers during the final phase of their offensive to defeat the guerrillas, a military official said.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have now been driven back to an area of less than one sq km in the northeast, a military spokesman said, and for the first time in the conflict the rebels have no access to the sea.
The military claimed that senior LTTE leaders, including its chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, remained in the rebel-held area.
Security forces advancing from different directions along the coast linked up at Kariyalamullaivaikkal village, 395 km northeast of Colombo, the officials said.
Meanwhile, civilians trapped in the war zone continued to flee by wading across a lagoon to enter government-controlled territory. On Friday, more than 10,000 civilians fled the area, and the government said it believes a similar number of people remained in there.
The LTTE has been fighting for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils for the past quarter century. Over 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far.
- Sri Lankan military takes last stretch of LTTE-held coast (Second Lead) - May 16, 2009
- Civilians flee last LTTE-held area in Sri Lanka (Third Lead) - May 16, 2009
- Sri Lanka claims rebels defeated; fighting continues (Roundup) - May 17, 2009
- Thousands more flee Sri Lanka war zone, no trace of LTTE chief (Roundup) - Apr 21, 2009
- International Tamil rebel network still active: Sri Lanka - Jun 21, 2010
- Civilians in war zone will be rescued: Rajapaksa (Lead) - May 15, 2009
- Civilians in war zone to be rescued in 48 hours: Sri Lankan president - May 15, 2009
- A year later, few in Sri Lanka mourn Prabhakaran - May 17, 2010
- 70 LTTE rebels killed - May 17, 2009
- Sri Lankan rebels claim 1,000 civilians killed this week (Second Lead) - Apr 21, 2009
- Tamil Tigers attempt suicide attack on Sri Lankan troops - May 13, 2009
- Troops take on LTTE targets in Sri Lanka (Lead) - Apr 23, 2009
- LTTE ends armed struggle; questions remain about Prabhakaran (Nightlead) - May 17, 2009
- Sri Lankan president announces end of civil war, Prabhakaran's body found (Third Lead) - May 19, 2009
- UN envoy to visit Sri Lanka as civilians trapped in fighting - Apr 25, 2009
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