The Sri Lankan military on Saturday (7th February) claimed that, air force jets have killed 11 guerrillas in a strike that left the Tamil Tigers naval wing's leader missing. Meanwhile, the stream of civilians fleeing Sri Lanka's war zone has picked up speed.

 

To crush down the LTTE separatists and to end one of Asia's longest-running wars, more than 50,000 Sri Lankan soldiers are converging on a tiny wedge of jungle in the northeast of Sri Lanka.

 

As the territory under the rebels is shrinking fast, there is a hunt for the Tiger leaders including the elusive Vellupillai Prabhakaran. Prabhakaran had founded the group that turned the suicide bomb into a weapon of war and landed on numerous international terrorism lists.

 

Air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said that, army's fighters bombed a complex of bunkers with an apartment and communications dishes on Friday (6th February), killing at least 11 rebels.

 

Initial reports suggested that it might have been a Prabhakaran hideout.  But later it was found to be an operational base for the LTTE's naval wing, the 'Sea Tigers' and its chief, Soosai, who is now missing, Nanayakkara said.