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Troops fought their way into the separatist stronghold of Kilinochchi deep in the north, dealing a heavy blow to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Details of casualties from the fighting were not immediately available.
"It was the constant dream of all Sri Lankans, whether Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim, who are opposed to separatism, racism, and terrorism, and have always, sought peace, freedom and democracy," President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a nationally televised address.
"Today our heroic troops have made that dream a reality. A short while ago, our brave and heroic troops have fully captured Kilinochchi that was considered the main bastion of the LTTE."
Within an hour of his statement, a suspected suicide attacker struck near the Sri Lankan Air Force headquarters, a spokesman at the Media Centre for National Security said.
Hospital officials said 37 people were wounded in the blast.
The military said all three of those killed and 12 of the wounded were air force personnel.
The Tigers, who have been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the east and north of the island for a quarter of a century, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Military officials say the rebels have in the past hit back with bombings in the capital and elsewhere whenever they have come under pressure on the northern frontline.
Analysts said the capture of Kilinochchi could make the capital and far south more vulnerable.
"Particularly after the humiliating defeat at Kilinochchi they will try to use their striking capability outside the theatre of conflict in a bigger way," said Iqbal Athas, an analyst with Jane's Defence.
Kilinochchi, in the Northern Province, has long been the centre of the Tamil fight for an independent homeland, which has seen more than 70,000 people killed in a bitter civil war since 1983.
Pro-rebel website www.tamilnet.com said the Tigers had moved their headquarters further northeast before the town fell.
"The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has entered a virtual ghost town," the website said. "The Tigers, who had put up heavy resistance so far, had kept their casualties as low as possible in the defensive fighting."
FLAGS AND FIRECRACKERS
The fall of the rebels' de facto capital was greeted with the bursting of firecrackers in Colombo. Others waved the national flag as they drove through the streets of the capital.
"The capture indicates very clearly that the LTTE's attempt to build up a quasi-state has now collapsed," Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu, a political analyst, said.
Sri Lanka's military has been closing in on Kilinochchi since September. Over the past month, it has been assaulting Tiger defences encircling the town and both sides have claimed to have inflicted ever higher death tolls on the other.
Sources from Rajapaksa's office earlier said that troops had entered Kilinochchi from two locations.
State media said many rebels had fled the town.
The military developments powered the island nation's stock market higher. The Colombo All-Share index closed 5 per cent up. The market fell 40.8 per cent in 2008 on economic and war worries.
"With the news of Kilinochchi's fall, sentiment just got a boost," said Geeth Balasuriya, assistant research manager at HNB Stockbrokers.
The LTTE started fighting the government in 1983. It says it is battling for the rights of minority Tamils in the face of mistreatment by successive governments led by the Sinhalese majority since Sri Lanka won independence from Britain in 1948.
Exactly a year ago, Rajapaksa's government formally scrapped an increasingly tattered six-year truce brokered by Norway, saying the rebels were using it as cover to regroup and re-arm.
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Im living in Colombo, Srilanka and Im a Sinhalese. Actually My hometown is faraway from Colombo. Im doing my job in Colombo. In my boarding house, my roommate is a Tamil. Like that there are lot of Tamil people in Colombo and suburbs. We called 'Wallawaththa' area The one of main area of Colombo to 'little Jaffna', because number of Tamil people are greater than Sinhalese people there. Often we go to theirs vegetarian shops and tastes meals. But I have never been Jaffna or Killinochchi. As a Sinhalese if I go there, definitely Ill be killed by LTTE. No one can find even a one Sinhala person from their controlled area. So why they fighting for separatism?
First stop the war and need to save the publics. The indian Govt should strongly condem to SriLankan government to stop all the activites and ask them to give the freedom to Tamil peoples. Ine indian peoples and the government should support to LTTE, becaz they are fighting for freedom for the past 35 years.
Go and take a wash and come to see what u expect. Neither Indian Central government or anything else will never save terrorism.
Can Sri Lanka respect the Humans rights? Can provide freedom of Press?
Did Sri Lanka capture Kilinochi or destroy Killinochi including cows, houses, churches, temples, schools, and so on.... The world may have to stop the Sri Lankan genocide
Pulis are terrorist, what ever explanation is given. If India is too concerned they can take back all pulis from SL back to Iinda. Otherwise Indos sit tight and see how to deal with terrorists.What ever it is pulis should count 1,2,3 and lions should gand mar.All puli supporters will have there own arguments, but dont bother, just screws all tamils who talk for elamKarunan uncle is waiting to watch new annan movie yanthiram..... so dont disturb him
LTTe is a terrorist organisation and who are supporting LTTE are terorist.LTTE was feeded by tamailnaidu government and they become monster for Tamilnaidu it self.LTTe should be wiped out from Buddhist country and these Tamils and their county are destroying the Peace loving Sri Lanka,Buddhist of India are with the sri lanka and against any from of terrorism whether in India or in srilanka.Long live srilanka and Buddhist religion.
Fighting is not the answer to solve the differences in a democratic country where different ideas and interest thrive. When Fighters kill innocent people they loose support in their country and elsewhere. Do you know there is a large Tamil population in Srilanka and also abroad who are against LTTE? I know because I am from Toronto, Canada and I also been to London, UK. Many people are forced to pay money and also have to give-up their kids to fight for LTTE. Many people also lost their property to LTTE. I guess Tamils can elect their leader in their state and make him fight for their rights. That is the way to go. Same answer violence is not an answer for Kashmir/ Assam. Learn to live together and try to adjust in a multi cultural society.
Sri Lanka is a militarised fascist state; there is only the autocratic rule of the corrupt, autocratic Singhalese megalomaniacs whose taste of victory had motivated increased appetite for territorial expansion with the collaboration of Pakistan, Bangladesh and the pro-Pakistan terror groups. India, UK, and the US should note its annual defence budget is more than 2.5 billion dollars. Who is financing Sri Lanka’s military hardware purchases? India has to do some hard thinking to act avert disastrous threats from is southern neighbour.
Dear Rao,ten terrorist came to bomabay and destroyed the hindu lives what happened to Buddhist countries who are peace loving people and fighting the war which was part supported by centre and now fully supported by state government.LTTE is being supported by Tamil naidu government who are giving them arms and other para finalia to fight the buddhist country and same monster had killed Rajeev gandhi.Prabhakaran and their allies should be hanged in red fort.Center government should not allow tamil government to support for any kind.long live sri lanka.wipe out the LTTE and their supporters.
I have a feeling BJP would have handled it better. Unfortunately, the dravidian parties do not support BJP. Congress had never handled things properly in the last 60 years. We have fought 1 war with China, 3 wars with Pakistan and still fighting wth Pakistan. Congress basically has problems in dealing with international matters. BJP is the one that brought USA closer towards India, opened border marked with China to smoothen relations and people in the NorthEas too sell their products directly rather taking it to Bombay and then other countries. People in TN too do not realize how directly and indirectly NDA had made each region to grow. I have a feeling Congress does not have such vision and it never had. Tamils in TN when they feel sorryfor Tamils in SL, they should also realize because they had not voted properly.
The conflict may not end even after the defeat of LTTE at the hands of SL Govt. forces. For that the Govt will have to ensure equal status for all its citizens just as we Indians enjoy - whether Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Budh, Muslim, or any. Subjugation by and at the hands of the majority Sinhalese had been the root cause for the forces like LTTE and the already eclipsed TELO, TULF, TNLF, to come up. If the SL govt. reforms itself and its all citizens, it will be better for itself and India. If the past is repeated, we can await to receive Tamil refugees from Sri Lank and witness political bickerings in TN and Delhi.
LTTE should be completely wiped out. We should support Srilankan Government. Our own jokers in Tamilnadu should be sent to Srilanka as POW's
wipe out non - sense sc fellow . Dont u think u are also supporting terrorism. One has to think postively to save human beings . tamilian are innocent human being , every indian need to find out soln to bring back them in india and make permanent solution . Let Srilanka dies with their sinhalese. Terrorism should be wiped out from earth .
Hi, LTTE is not terrioist . ok. they are freedom fighters. first understand this.
If LTTE is freedom fighters then taliban will also be a freedom fighter in your view.srilanka is an independent country like the jamica or hongkong or malayasia where also there are lots of tamilians, why are they not fighting around.every country has the right to eliminate threat totheir motherland.LTTE is a terrorist group as it has killed Rajeev Gandhi using suicide bombers like the Taliban is doing now. some one above said that human beings should be protected ,what protection when LTTe themselves dont have any respect for human life and they are using the life of childrens and ladies as if they are worthless. freedom,when did Srilanka become the property of the Tamils,if that is the case you may see all the parsis and iranians (in Mumbai),Angloindians also claiming that they too need seperate country,just remember LTTE are ppl of Tamil origin settled in another country so they have to respect the law and order as well as rules of that country. lankans on their part should treat the tamils at par with them,give them jobs and other thins like they would give to their own. I must say we were really angry to see karuna nidhi asking the P.M to help the LTTE when our own country is in Fire,why to mind other country's business when your own country is in trouble.He should be ashamed to do such a thing and its ppl like him who is stigma to Indian society ,why is Karunidhi not worrying about Hamas,now you may say that they too are freedom fighters.The easiest thing on earth to do is do henious crimes and then say that we are freedom fighters.
LTTE is a terrorist group.no argument about that.they using Tamil people as a shield.
Hi I agree that all militant groups should be disarmed... But to support Sinhalese Govt is like giving the thief the keys... Dear viewers we all enjoy the right of being Indian and we have right to become an Indian premiere.. What is the situation in Srilanka... Yes, militancy should be stopped... But it stopped from both ends.... Jai Hind...
Where is Karunanishi hiding?