WORLD BRIEFING / SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka’s military said it had taken control of the island’s entire coastline and cut off any sea escape for Tamil Tiger leaders trapped in a tiny slice of territory.
The latest military success came after President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that the 25-year civil war would be ended in 48 hours.
Two army divisions moving along the northeastern coast linked up to deny the rebels sea access for the first time, a military spokesman said.
The rebels and tens of thousands of civilians are cornered in a 1.2-square-mile strip between a lagoon and the sea.
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