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LTTE’s sea base captured

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka military on Saturday announced the capture of Pooneryn, the last strategic sea base of the LTTE on the western coast of the Indian Ocean, after weeks of intense fighting.

Within hours of the announcement, President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated his call to the LTTE to lay down arms and come to the negotiating table.

There was no word from the Tigers on the latest developments.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry characterised the fall of Pooneryn as the “greatest feat against terrorists by the forces in their courageous march” along the northwestern coast.

With control over Pooneryn, the military for the first time in two decades would have another land route to the Jaffna peninsula. At the moment it is accessible only by sea after the military shut down A9 highway in August 2006 on grounds of security.

The gain of Pooneryn, a strategic land that runs parallel to the neck of the northern Jaffna Peninsula across a narrow lagoon, will enable the military to strike at the LTTE administrative capital of Kilinochchi from three sides. Besides, the sea supply routes of the LTTE from Tamil Nadu will be sealed.