Tigers slow Sri Lanka advance on key jungle base
Tue Jul 10, 5:45 AM ET

Tamil Tiger rebels in the east of Sri Lanka are showing stiff resistance and have slowed a military advance on a strategic jungle base, defence authorities here said.
Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters that the Tiger rebels were still holed up in a small area known as Thoppigala, adding that they had buried mines and were slowing the military campaign.
"We have captured about 98 percent of the territory, but the balance two percent won't be in a matter of days," Rambukwella said, dismissing media reports that troops were about to take Thoppigala.
"It may even take two years," he said.
He said the objective of the security forces was not limited to capturing Thoppigala, but was to take full control over the multi-ethnic eastern province by neutralising the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Military spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said the army had taken up position about "five to six kilometres" away from Thoppigala. He too rejected media reports that the military had captured the area.
"We are at Narakamulla and this is about five to six kilometers away from Thoppigala," Samarasinghe told reporters. "Media reports said that we captured a place nick-named 'Tora Bora' yesterday. That is also not correct."
Samarasinghe said the Tigers had a complex network of bases in the jungle area, which has been used by the rebels as a main command and control centre for their operations in the eastern region.
Security forces moved to take Thoppigala earlier this year, capturing several key bases from the Tigers in the districts of Batticaloa and Ampara.
Three weeks ago, the military estimated rebel forces at Thoppigala at 150, but military commanders in the area have estimated the current strength at over 200.