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Sri Lanka air force pounds rebels' main defence line
Sri Lanka's air force pounded the Tamil Tiger rebels' main northern defence line on Sunday, a day after government forces dismantled the last rebel stronghold on the island's west coast, the military said.
- AP
- Published: 13:41 November 16, 2008
Colombo: Sri Lanka's air force pounded the Tamil Tiger rebels' main northern defence line on Sunday, a day after government forces dismantled the last rebel stronghold on the island's west coast, the military said.
Fighter jets bombed the Tamil separatists' defence line in the Muhamalai area of Jaffna peninsula, north of the rebels' de facto state, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
He said the jets also hit rebel artillery and mortar positions in retaliation for rebel shelling of soldiers on Saturday.
Nanayakkara said details of damage and casualties were not immediately available.
On Saturday, the military announced it had dismantled the last rebel defence on the island's west coast and secured a land route to government-held Jaffna.
It was a key victory for the military, which has vowed to finally defeat the guerrillas by year's end.
Nanayakkara said the peninsula's main military base no longer falls within the rebels' artillery range because of Saturday's gains. Nearly 40,000 soldiers are believed to be housed on the base.
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