Sri Lanka's ruling party wins provincial elections

Colombo: Sri Lanka's ruling coalition swept two local councils in an election seen as a referendum on the administration's war against Tamil rebels, results showed on Sunday.

The election department said the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance coalition won 20 seats on the 33-member North Central provincial council and 25 seats in the 44-member Sabaragamuwa council.

The main opposition United National Party captured 29 seats on both councils while Marxist People's Liberation Front won three seats in Sunday's election.

The ruling coalition, led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has said a vote for United People's Freedom Alliance will be seen as an endorsement of its war against the rebels.