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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka army 'controls coast' | Sri Lanka army 'controls coast' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The army in Sri Lanka has said it has captured the last section of coastline held by Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east of the country. | The army in Sri Lanka has said it has captured the last section of coastline held by Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east of the country. |
| The rebels are cornered by troops in a tiny enclave in a final confrontation that has trapped many civilians. | |
| The rebels have no more sea access and the army was "progressing" so that the rest of the rebel-held area would be cleared, Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said. | |
| More than 70,000 people have died in the 25-year war for a Tamil homeland. | |
| See a map of the conflict region | See a map of the conflict region |
| Fighting on the shoreline itself was not very heavy compared with elsewhere, the brigadier told the BBC. | Fighting on the shoreline itself was not very heavy compared with elsewhere, the brigadier told the BBC. |
| Charles Haviland in Colombo says there is speculation that the rebels would launch suicide attacks against the army. | Charles Haviland in Colombo says there is speculation that the rebels would launch suicide attacks against the army. |
| Trapped civilians | |
| The Sri Lankan military said 10,000 civilians escaped the war zone on Friday, but our correspondent says there is huge concern for the fate of the many thousands of trapped civilians. | The Sri Lankan military said 10,000 civilians escaped the war zone on Friday, but our correspondent says there is huge concern for the fate of the many thousands of trapped civilians. |
| The UN Security Council has expressed "grave concern" at the "worsening humanitarian crisis" in the region. | The UN Security Council has expressed "grave concern" at the "worsening humanitarian crisis" in the region. |
| Over the last week, US President Barack Obama has urged the army to stop shelling of civilian areas and called on the rebels to lay down their arms. | |
| But the government in Colombo has consistently rejected calling a halt to the offensive saying it would give the rebels time to recover. | |
| Aid charities say a growing number of traumatised, malnourished children were becoming separated from their families as they fled the war zone and entered government-controlled camps. | |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |