Rebels lose last town to Sri Lankan troops

Ravi Nessman (AP)

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MULLAITTIVU, Sri Lanka – The rebel-patrolled streets of Mullaittivu were empty Tuesday except for stray dogs, abandoned cows and a few government soldiers.

The Tamil Tigers deserted the last major town under their control as Sri Lankan troops swept into the area pushing the insurgents and thousands of residents into the nearby jungle and villages — the only remnants of the separatists' once substantial shadow state.

• 250,000 trapped in war zone with Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers (1/27/09)

But even with the rebels on the brink of defeat in the 25-year-old civil war, fighting still rages. Health officials said dozens of civilians have been killed or wounded in recent fighting and hundreds of thousands of displaced residents are at risk. More>>

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