Sri Lanka rebel boats 'destroyed'
 The military is tightening its control of remaining rebel areas |
The Sri Lankan navy says that four Tamil Tiger military boats have been destroyed in a sea battle off the country's north-eastern coast.
The navy said one of its vessels was damaged in a blast during the fighting.
A pro-rebel website said the Tigers attacked a Sri Lankan convoy and destroyed a navy attack craft.
Fighting is continuing around the sole remaining rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu as the army presses ahead with its offensive.
Rebel leader
Navy spokesman Capt DKP Dassanayake said that patrol vessels attacked a number of rebel boats off Mullaittivu late on Monday.
He said the navy sunk rebel boats and a naval boat was damaged when explosives stored in a rebel boat exploded.
But a pro-rebel website quoted the rebels as saying that they had attacked a Sri Lankan convoy and destroyed a navy fast attack craft.
Independent journalists are not allowed in the conflict zone and information from both sides cannot be verified.
The sea battle has come at a time when the government has intensified its offensive against the rebels.
The army says it is pressing ahead after capturing Kilinochchi - the rebels' administrative centre - and the strategically important Elephant Pass.
 Elephant Pass was the latest strategic victory in the offensive |
The Tigers have been fighting for a separate homeland for 25 years. At least 70,000 people have been killed in the insurgency.
The rebels had established a de facto state squeezed between government-controlled Jaffna in the north and the rest of the country.
But the latest military offensive has forced the rebels to give up much of their territory.
The Sri Lankan navy says it has deployed more than 25 vessels off the north-eastern coast to prevent the rebels from escaping the area they have been restricted to.
The military is on high alert to prevent the possible escape of top Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, although some analysts say it is unlikely he will either flee or be taken alive.
Fears remain for thousands of civilians caught in the conflict zone.
The Red Cross has called for a safe escape route for them. The safety of patients in hospitals within the conflict zone is also a concern.
The government said last week it was fully prepared to handle "the mass exodus of civilians" the fighting with the rebels might cause.
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