Sri Lankan military said on Saturday that at least 13 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed since Friday evening in the Mullaittivu district as the troops advanced further into the rebel held territory.

The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that the troops positioned South of Chalai have advanced further south since Friday evening, gaining control over sections of the LTTE ( Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) built positions at Puthumathalan and seizing two LTTE attack craft.

"According to intercepted LTTE communication, 13 terrorists were killed during the confrontations and many were left wounded," said the statement.

Meanwhile, the multi-pronged military surge towards Puthukudiyiruppu town continues with increasing LTTE battlefield loses as troops are now positioned some 200 meters from seizing control over the center of the town.

Puthukudiyiruppu is the last major town still held by the LTTE as the military claim that the rebel organization has been squeezed into a small area less than 60 sq km in the Mullaittivu district.

The military said the offensive against the LTTE is entering its final stage after the rebels lost most of their territories to the advancing troops since 2006.

The LTTE sought to set up a separate homeland for the minority Tamil community in the north and east claiming discrimination at the hands of the Sinhalese majority ruling community.

More than 70,000 people have been killed in country since the LTTE launched their armed campaign in the mid-1980s.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2009)