Sri Lankan troops push deeper into rebel areas.

Last Updated: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 20:00:00 +1100

Sri Lanka says its troops are battling towards the jungle headquarters of the rebel Tamil Tigers, two days after retaking their main city of Kilinochchi.

Ground forces, backed by helicopter gunships and planes, are moving towards Mullaittivu, the jungle district along the northeastern seaboard, where the Tigers have their main military facilities.

Troops are also heading further north to retake the strategically vital Elephant Pass which was lost to the Tigers in 2000.

The government is determined to crush the guerillas once and for all, but the Tigers, in the past, have shown their ability to rebound from even the most dire situations.

Doctor Palitha Kohona, Secretary of the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry says this time the circumstances are very different because the Sri Lankan Army is well lead, well motivated and well armed.

Besides unlike on previous occasions the Tigers are now banned as a terrorist organisation in almost every democracy in the world and it's not easy for them to seek political support or funding support from overseas.

Dr Kohona says whatever they do is done in an illicit manner thus making it very difficult for them to bounce back.