May 16, 2009 13:58 PM

Sri Lanka Takes Control Of Coastal Line

COLOMBO, May 16 (Bernama) -- Sri Lanka's military said here Saturday the entire coastal line of the northern island have been captured from Tamil Tiger rebels' control, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

Defence officials said the military sealed off the entire northeastern Mullaithivu coast.

The army's 58 and 59 divisions linked up on the Mullaithivu beach front early Saturday morning, the military said.

Analysts said the government troops have thus taken control of the island's entire north and east coastal lines for the first time in the three-decade separatist armed war waged by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

This was to be the last phase in the final military victory for the government troops led by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka.

Gen Fonseka's troops began its military campaign in mid 2006 by liberating the entire eastern province.

Their capture of the north began early January this year with the fall of the rebel administrative capital of Kilinochchi.

Military said the exodus of the remaining civilians trapped in the last rebel hold began on Thursday.

Some 9,900 people had crossed over to the government areas by Friday evening.

The LTTE fought a bitter war with the army to create a separate Tamil homeland and the campaign cost more than 70,000 lives since the mid 1980s.

-- BERNAMA

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