16-02-2008

Sri Lanka says jets attack northern rebel base

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lankan military jets bombed and destroyed a Tamil Tiger military base in the island's rebel-held north on Saturday, the military said, in a third successive day of air raids.

There were no details of casualties immediately from the strike in the northwestern district of Mannar that followed bombings on rebel positions in neighbouring Mullaittivu over the past two days, an air force spokesman said.

"It was a base used to launch and coordinate attacks in the Mannar area, we conducted the air raid in support of army operations in Mannar," Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya said.

"Pilots confirmed extensive damages to the base from the raid."

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were not immediately available for comment and there were no independent accounts of what had happened.

Fighting between the military and the Tigers has intensified since the government formally scrapped a 6-year-old ceasefire pact last month.

The government says the rebels had used the truce to re-arm and has vowed to crush them.

Sri Lankan forces are trying to drive the rebels from their northern stronghold and bring an end to a 25-year civil war, but analysts say neither side is winning and predict the fighting will grind on.

Source-Reuters