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Sri Lankan army 'corners rebels' Civilians 'killed' in Sri Lanka
(about 10 hours later)
The Sri Lankan army says it has cornered Tamil Tiger rebels in the northeast of the country. Medical staff in Sri Lanka say at least 18 civilians have been killed as the military continues its offensive on the northern bases of Tamil Tiger rebels.
Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka said rebel resistance was crumbling fast and that they could only escape by sea as they were surrounded on three sides. Hospital officials said the number killed in fighting around Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu could be much higher.
His claims cannot be independently verified and there has been no response from the Tamil Tigers. The military said Mullaitivu - the last major rebel stronghold - was now surrounded, but it denied rebel claims that civilians came under attack.
A day earlier the rebels said they killed 51 soldiers - a claim denied by the army. A military spokesman told the BBC that the allegation was propaganda.
The Tigers have lost a considerable amount of territory to government forces in the last few months, including key strongholds Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass.
See map of the region See map of the region
The Sri Lankan forces said they were poised to capture the last major rebel-held town of Mullaitivu, with Lt Gen Fonseka saying his troops had captured 17km of territory in as many days in the area, leaving the rebels with just a 40km stretch of coastline. Aid agencies say they are concerned about the fate of the 250,000 civilians living in rebel-held territory in the north of the country.
A defence ministry statement said soldiers had seized "a highly fortified camp" in the village of Maruthampuvel in Mullaittivu on Saturday, Associated Press reported. 'Crumbling fast'
The statement also said eight rebel fighters had been killed in the region. According to a Tamil Tiger statement and reports on the pro-rebel TamilNet website, the Sri Lankan military attacked civilians in rebel-held villages around Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
The two sides have differed in their reports of casualties, with the rebels earlier claiming they killed 51 soldiers near the town of Dharmapuram in northern Sri Lanka, but the army saying it had taken control of the area, killing 20 rebels with only seven soldiers dead. But army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara dismissed the claims that 18 people had been killed and more than 40 injured in the strikes.
The Sri Lanka army says it is closing in on the rebelsHe told the BBC's Sinhala service that the Tamil Tigers' claim was propaganda "as they have been cornered and are seeking international attention".
Earlier, an army spokesman said rebel resistance was crumbling fast.
The Tigers have lost a considerable amount of territory to government forces in the last few months, including key strongholds Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass.
The two sides have differed widely in their reports of casualties.
Independent journalists are prevented by the government from travelling to the conflict zone, so it is impossible to verify the casualty claims made by both sides.Independent journalists are prevented by the government from travelling to the conflict zone, so it is impossible to verify the casualty claims made by both sides.
The Jaffna peninsula and its capital have been regarded as the heart of the 25-year-old separatist insurgency.The Jaffna peninsula and its capital have been regarded as the heart of the 25-year-old separatist insurgency.
The Tigers have been fighting for a separate homeland for 25 years. At least 70,000 people have been killed in the insurgency. The Tigers are fighting for a separate homeland. At least 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
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