Sri Lanka army: 4 prominent rebel leaders killed

Colombo: Troops battling the last pockets of rebel resistance in northern Sri Lanka discovered the bodies of four top Tamil Tigers, including the supreme leader's eldest son and the group's political chief, the military said on Monday.

But hundreds of special forces troops and infantry soldiers were scouring the smoking war zone for signs of rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and his top deputies, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said, after the insurgents declared their quarter-century fight had reached its "bitter end."

"He's still there in that area, we haven't found him yet," Nanayakkara said.

Prabhakaran's capture, dead or alive, is crucial to bringing closure to fighting in the country.

During previous rounds of fighting, Prabhakaran has reportedly told his bodyguards to kill him and burn his body beyond recognition rather than allow his capture.

Tamil Tiger fighters, as well, have been trained to commit suicide rather than be taken, and many wear cyanide capsules around their necks.

Troops were waging gunbattles on Monday with the last remnants of the rebel group hiding in bunkers in a tiny area about the size of three football fields placed side by side, Nanayakkara said.

Earlier, troops found the body of Prabhakaran's eldest son, Charles Anthony, who was reportedly also a leader of the rebel group. Prabhakaran has three children and Charles Anthony - named after a rebel leader who died earlier in the war - was the only one thought to be fighting along with his father.

The Defence Ministry said special forces also found the bodies of the rebels' political wing leader, Balasingham Nadesan, the head of the rebels' peace secretariat, Seevaratnam Puleedevan, and one of the top military leaders, known as Ramesh. The statement said the bodies of many more rebels were scattered about the area and were not yet identified.