This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7810911.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Tamil Tigers 'kill 53' soldiers | Tamil Tigers 'kill 53' soldiers |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka say they have killed 53 soldiers in the north of the island where the army is trying to capture rebel strongholds. | Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka say they have killed 53 soldiers in the north of the island where the army is trying to capture rebel strongholds. |
| The rebels said the soldiers died in fighting on the main road towards the rebel-held town of Mullaitivu. | The rebels said the soldiers died in fighting on the main road towards the rebel-held town of Mullaitivu. |
| Military officials denied that troops had suffered heavy casualties. There is no independent confirmation. | Military officials denied that troops had suffered heavy casualties. There is no independent confirmation. |
| The government announced on Friday that it had captured the de facto rebel capital, Kilinochchi. | The government announced on Friday that it had captured the de facto rebel capital, Kilinochchi. |
| Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for the island's ethnic Tamil minority for the past 25 years. | Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for the island's ethnic Tamil minority for the past 25 years. |
| See map of the region | See map of the region |
| At least 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. | At least 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. |
| 'Shrinking' | 'Shrinking' |
| "At least 53 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed, more than 80 sustained injuries and the Tamil Tigers recovered two bodies of the soldiers in heavy fighting," the pro-Tamil website TamilNet reported. | "At least 53 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed, more than 80 sustained injuries and the Tamil Tigers recovered two bodies of the soldiers in heavy fighting," the pro-Tamil website TamilNet reported. |
| The gates into the Tigers' huge war cemetery have been smashed - the dead lie under long rows of identical grey cement graves Roland BuerkKilinochchi href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7811360.stm">Ruined remains of rebel 'capital' class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7790366.stm">Key loss will test Tamil TigersQ&A: Sri Lanka crisis | |
| Sri Lankan military officials denied the rebel casualty claims and said troops had recovered the bodies of 12 Tamil Tigers. | Sri Lankan military officials denied the rebel casualty claims and said troops had recovered the bodies of 12 Tamil Tigers. |
| Soldiers also captured the strategic town of Oddusuddan at the weekend, the army said on Monday. Oddusudan sits at an important crossroads to Mullaitivu. | Soldiers also captured the strategic town of Oddusuddan at the weekend, the army said on Monday. Oddusudan sits at an important crossroads to Mullaitivu. |
| Meanwhile, Maj Gen Jagath Dias, who led the capture of the northern town of Kilinochchi, said he was confident of taking the rebels' remaining strongholds in the north and east. | Meanwhile, Maj Gen Jagath Dias, who led the capture of the northern town of Kilinochchi, said he was confident of taking the rebels' remaining strongholds in the north and east. |
| "Day by day, the Tigers' territory is shrinking and their numbers are dwindling," he was quoted by the Associated Press agency as saying. | "Day by day, the Tigers' territory is shrinking and their numbers are dwindling," he was quoted by the Associated Press agency as saying. |
| Sri Lanka's military is pushing ahead with an offensive aimed at crushing the Tamil Tigers. | Sri Lanka's military is pushing ahead with an offensive aimed at crushing the Tamil Tigers. |
| "The objective of finishing this war won't be that long off," said Maj Gen Dias. | "The objective of finishing this war won't be that long off," said Maj Gen Dias. |
| Correspondents say that following its success at Kilinochchi the government has sent reinforcements to the region to try to capture not only Mullaitivu, but also the rebel-held Elephant Pass, further north. | Correspondents say that following its success at Kilinochchi the government has sent reinforcements to the region to try to capture not only Mullaitivu, but also the rebel-held Elephant Pass, further north. |
| Human shields? | Human shields? |
| The government has barred almost all journalists from the northern war zone for a year and a half - making each sides' claims of inflicting casualties on the other impossible to verify. The government has reportedly sent reinforcements to the north | The government has barred almost all journalists from the northern war zone for a year and a half - making each sides' claims of inflicting casualties on the other impossible to verify. The government has reportedly sent reinforcements to the north |
| But the BBC's Roland Buerk was among reporters taken by the army to Kilinochchi following its capture. | But the BBC's Roland Buerk was among reporters taken by the army to Kilinochchi following its capture. |
| Our correspondent says the offices the Tigers had set up there to administer territory under their control were in ruins. | Our correspondent says the offices the Tigers had set up there to administer territory under their control were in ruins. |
| The gates to the rebels' huge war cemetery had been smashed and soldiers with bandoliers of bullets posed for photographs in front of rebel war memorials now festooned with Sri Lankan flags. | The gates to the rebels' huge war cemetery had been smashed and soldiers with bandoliers of bullets posed for photographs in front of rebel war memorials now festooned with Sri Lankan flags. |
| Attack helicopters flew overhead, and every few minutes there was an artillery barrage, while tanks rolled by in clouds of black smoke heading north. | Attack helicopters flew overhead, and every few minutes there was an artillery barrage, while tanks rolled by in clouds of black smoke heading north. |
| Just 20 or so of the town's population remained, gathered in the local hospital. With soldiers standing around, they said they were happy to see the rebels go. | Just 20 or so of the town's population remained, gathered in the local hospital. With soldiers standing around, they said they were happy to see the rebels go. |
| Almost all the rest were in the jungles with the Tigers, where the government says they were being used as human shields, our correspondent says. The rebels say people went of their own accord. | Almost all the rest were in the jungles with the Tigers, where the government says they were being used as human shields, our correspondent says. The rebels say people went of their own accord. |
| MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return | MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return |