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Sri Lankan president announces end of war against rebels

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-17 16:28

This photograph released by the Sri Lankan military on May 15, 2009 shows what the army says are civilians fleeing from the area inside the 'No Fire Zone' that is still held by the Tiger rebels. [Xinhua]

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

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 LTTE rebels.

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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 rebels have been fighting for an independent homeland since the 1970s. It erupted into full-scale civil war in 1983 and the campaign cost more than 70,000 lives since the mid 1980s.

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