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Rebel base overrun in eastern Sri Lanka , 4 Tamil guerrillas killed: military
Associated Press,
Thu January 11, 2007 06:57 EST .
DILIP GANGULY
Associated Press Writer
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) _ Anti-terrorist commandos captured a Tamil Tiger rebel base and seven smaller camps around it Thursday in eastern Sri Lanka, killing at least four guerrillas, the military said Thursday.
At least two government commandoes were wounded in the operation to seize the ``terrorist base'' in Ampara district, said military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe. Ampara has recently been the scene of heavy fighting between the military and the separatist Tigers.
``Capturing the camp is a strategic step forward in eliminating the terrorist threat on security forces' camps,'' Samarasinghe said.
He said later that government forces also took control of seven smaller camps around the larger base, and seized a large quantity of arms, ammunition, power generators and motorbikes.
Independent confirmation of the operation was not immediately available. A person who answered the telephone at the Tigers' headquarters in Kilinochchi said no one was available for comment. The phone later rang unanswered.
Samarasinghe said three other soldiers were wounded when Tigers fired mortar rounds at the Vavunativu military camp late Wednesday in nearby Batticaloa district.
``We fired back and they retreated, but we don't know if they suffered any casualties,'' Samarasinghe said.
A roadside bomb wounded two soldiers in a separate incident in the northern Jaffna area on Thursday, Samarasinghe said, blaming the Tigers for the attack.
Fighting has escalated in the past year in Sri Lanka's north and east.
The Tigers have been fighting for more than 20 years for a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's 3.1 million ethnic minority Tamils after decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.
Both sides claim to be adhering to a 2002 cease-fire, but resurgent violence has left more than 3,600 people dead in the past year.
More than 65,000 people died in the conflict before the cease-fire was signed.
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Published: Thu Jan 11 09:23:23 EST 2007
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