Air force bombs rebel targets in northern Sri Lanka

Oct 1, 2008, 11:01 GMT

Colombo - Air force fighter jets bombed Tamil rebel strongholds in a town in northern Sri Lanka Wednesday as government troops advanced toward the area.

The military claimed they targeted five rebel locations, including two rebel bases in the town of Kilinochchi, 380 kilometres north of the capital, but the rebels said two civilians were killed and 13 others were injured in the airstrikes.

An air force spokesman, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, said one of the targets was a training centre for female cadres and the other was a base of senior rebels.

Those targets were close to the main hospital in Kilinochchi town, while three other targets were reported to be south of the town.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet website said 13 people were injured in the raids, including three children and seven females, while 19 houses were damaged.

However, earlier reports said that a majority of the civilian residents had fled Kilinochchi, with only a few hundred remaining.

An estimated 200,000 civilians have been displaced in recent months due to the fighting. The military expected the displaced persons would go to government-controlled areas, but so far almost all of them have been moving further into rebel-held areas.

The military said that in overnight fighting at least 32 rebels were killed in the northern province. Troops were continuing operations on at least four fronts.

The operations are aimed at recapturing rebel-held areas. The military has vowed to crush the rebels before the end of the year.