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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tamil Tigers' sea HQ 'destroyed' | Tamil Tigers' sea HQ 'destroyed' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Sri Lankan air force says it has destroyed the headquarters of the Tamil Tiger rebels' sea force. | The Sri Lankan air force says it has destroyed the headquarters of the Tamil Tiger rebels' sea force. |
| An air force spokesman said the attack took place in the north-eastern district of Mullaitivu. The Tigers say they hit a civilian charity building. | |
| "We now understand that the base was the headquarters of the Sea Tigers," Cap Ajantha Silva told the Associated Press news agency. | "We now understand that the base was the headquarters of the Sea Tigers," Cap Ajantha Silva told the Associated Press news agency. |
| On Monday the army said it had overrun four rebel bases in eastern Sri Lanka. | On Monday the army said it had overrun four rebel bases in eastern Sri Lanka. |
| 'Seen in flames' | |
| The headquarters of the Sea Tigers was still burning an hour after the attack, Cap Silva says. | The headquarters of the Sea Tigers was still burning an hour after the attack, Cap Silva says. |
| He said fighter jets had bombed the complex several kilometres inland in the northern district of Mullaitivu. | |
| It included a fuel storage area and an ammunition dump, according to the spokesman. | |
| He said there were no details of casualties on the ground. The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry website described the target as "a Sea Tiger base complex". | |
| It said: "According to the air force sources, a large Sea Tiger base consisting of fuel storages, a vehicle park and several suicide boats were completely destroyed in the attack and were seen in flames by the pilots." | |
| However, the Tigers insist that what was hit was the building of a charity that makes artificial limbs for landmine victims. | |
| The pro-Tamil Tiger website, Tamilnet, said two nearby civilians were killed in the attack. | |
| Pitched battles | |
| The Sea Tigers operate small boats armed with guns. | The Sea Tigers operate small boats armed with guns. |
| Col Karuna says the Tigers were never serious about peace | |
| In recent months, they have taken part in several pitched battles with the Sri Lankan navy. | In recent months, they have taken part in several pitched battles with the Sri Lankan navy. |
| There has been heavy fighting in Sri Lanka as the government continues its attempts to drive the rebels from eastern areas of the island. | There has been heavy fighting in Sri Lanka as the government continues its attempts to drive the rebels from eastern areas of the island. |
| Last week the rebels launched their first air raid, bombing the airbase adjacent to the international civilian airport near the capital, Colombo. | Last week the rebels launched their first air raid, bombing the airbase adjacent to the international civilian airport near the capital, Colombo. |
| The army said 23 Tigers were killed in a clash in the eastern district of Batticaloa that began late on Monday. | The army said 23 Tigers were killed in a clash in the eastern district of Batticaloa that began late on Monday. |
| On the same day a bomb exploded on a civilian bus, also in the east, killing 16 people. | |
| 'Dragged out' | |
| The leader of a key Tamil Tiger breakaway group in eastern Sri Lanka has said that the main organisation's head was never serious about the peace process. | |
| Col Karuna Amman told the BBC that Velupillai Prabhakaran had said peace talks should be dragged out so the rebels could prepare for more fighting. | |
| Col Karuna left the rebels in 2004, seriously weakening them. | |
| Government forces are now taking control of much of the Eastern province in renewed fighting. |