The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam today virtually conceded that its de-facto capital Kilinochchi has fallen to the Sri Lankan Army, saying that the security forces have entered a "virtual ghost town" as the whole infrastructure of Tamil Tigers have shifted to the northeast.

Hours after President Mahinda Rajapakse announced to the nation that the rebel-stronghold has been captured by the security forces, the LTTE [Images] said that they had put up heavy resistance so far and kept their causalities to the minimum.

Pro-LTTE Tamilnet quoted sources close to Tamil Tigers saying that the rebels have put up "heavy resistance".

"The Sri Lankan Army has entered a virtual ghost town (Kilinochchi) as the whole infrastructure as well as the centre of the LTTE had shifted further to northeast.

This is the first time after a decade the Sri Lankan forces have been able to take control of the town after several months of fierce fighting has claimed hundreds of people on both sides of the war.

Twelve years ago, the Army captured the Kilinochchi-Paranthan area from the LTTE after fighting for more than a month in 1996. The Tigers' recaptured part of the  town in February 1998. 

See also: The end of Prabhakaran?