Sri Lanka's ruling party sweeps power in southern provincial assembly

Colombo: Sri Lanka's ruling party has swept to power in the southern province assembly, securing more than 67 percent of the votes cast.

The elections department says President Mahinda Rajapaksa's United People's Freedom Alliance has won 38 out of the 55 seats in the council.

The result is a sign of resounding support Rajapaksa enjoys in his native province after leading a successful military campaign to defeat the Tamil Tiger rebels' 25-year separatist insurgency in May.

Between 80,000 and 100,000 people were killed in Sri Lanka's civil war.