Colombo:
Close to snuffing out the Tamil Tigers, Sri Lankan troops on Thursday completely encircled the LTTE fighters in a small coastal strip in the country's embattled north killing 36 rebels, including top commanders, in fierce fighting.
The troops also cut the Tigers last road link in the Pudukudiyyirippu area, which they were using for reinforcing and transportation of logistics to the frontline, a military spokesman said.
He said the government troops have surrounded a big group of rebels in an area less than 1 sq km. The encirclement of the Tigers comes a day after Colombo claimed to have seriously wounded LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran's son Charles Antony, who is also a top ranking Tiger commander.
With the frontline shrinking day by day, sources said the top LTTE leadership would have option either to confront the advancing troops or to make their getaway.
",The troops seized Pachchapulmudai village. With this, the Tigers have lost their last road link to carry supplies and logistics to the Pudukudiyyirippu junction,", the spokesman said.
He said among those killed in fierce clashes were LTTE propagandist Mathiyalagan.