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Sri Lankan troops capture strategic town in last LTTE bastion

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, Feb 20, IRNA -- Sri Lankan troops on Friday captured the strategic town in south of Mullaittivu after fierce battles killing two senior LTTE commanders and seizing diving equipments and underwater scooters.

Advancing rapidly, the Government forces have now virtually encircled Puthukudirippu, the last town held by the tigers where reports say the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran is leading the rebels.

Army captured Ampalavanpokkanai town after five hours of intense battles during which two senior LTTE commanders, Anbu and Suresh, were killed, Indian official media reported quoting Sri Lankan Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.

Nanayakkara confirmed the death of two LTTE leaders, which took place close to Puthukudi Irippu-Oddusuddan road where the 53rd Division is conducting operations.

In the course of the battle in the thick jungles, soldiers of the army's 53rd division also found a three-storyed underground bunker suspected to be used by Prabhakaran in an area South of Puthukudirippu in Mullaittivu.

This is the third big bunker seized by the Government forces in the battles for Killinochi and Mullaittivu.

With the capture of these areas, the LTTE is confined to less than 100 sq kms of territory in Northern Wanni, the military said.