Sri Lankan military 'captures rebel town'

The Sri Lankan military has reportedly captured a key Tamil Tiger territory in the east of the island, causing 10,000 refugees to flee the area.

Vakarai has been controlled by the Tamils since the 2002 peace accords, however, following on from an escalated period of violence in the last six months, the Sri Lankan military appears to have intensified its offensive.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), to which the Tamil Tigers is its rebel force, hasn't commented on the apparent withdrawal.

LTTE resumed its fight against the Sri Lankan Sinhalese government after a vote rejected the Tamil independent state.

Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, a Sri Lankan military spokesman, told Reuters: "They are withdrawing. We are checking the civilians who are fleeing in case the Tigers have infiltrated them and try to come and attack government areas."

Fears are growing for the worsening humanitarian situation in the region after the recently displaced people have joined over 20,000 others who fled the violence in previous months.

Vakarai marks one of the only locations left where the Tamil Tigers have access to the sea and therefore supplies.

A UN spokesman with the force attached to Norway's peace accord observation group noted that the organisation hasn't had access to Vakarai since November 29th and the people are weak and afraid.