Colombo: Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets on Wenesday destroyed a key LTTE base in Kilinochchi frequented by LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran but the fate of the elusive rebel leader remains unknown.
The military, which has stepped up its offensive since the scrapping of the ceasefire early this month, targeted the 'X-ray base' base located East of Iranamadu Tank in the Kalmadukulama area, 'with pinpoint accuracy', defence sources said.
According to Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Andi Wijesoriya the target located in a thick jungle patch north of LTTE's 'runway' in Iranamadu has been a regular visiting place of Prabhakaran.
Fighter pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit, he added.
The air raid was timed with a 'special' activity that was going on at the LTTE base, a Defence Ministry statement said, but was quiet on the fate of the 53-year-old LTTE chief who suffered a series of setbacks late last year.
The LTTE's political wing chief SP Thamilselvan was killed in an air strike in November and weeks later the military claimed Prabhakarn too was injured in an air force attack but the LTTE refuted the report.
The latest offensive came as All Party Representative Committee prepared to submit a report on the devolution package to resolve the over two-decade-old Tamil ethnic problem.
Fighting between the rebel Tamil Tigers and the government troops have intensified in the north after the government ended a six-year-old Norwegian-brokered ceasefire agreement with the rebels on January 16.
At least 10 LTTE militants a soldier were killed in fresh clashes in the country's north.
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