Battle of Kilinochchi (2008–2009): Difference between revisions

Battle of Kilinochchi
	Part of the Sri Lankan Civil War, 2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive
	; Kilinochchi
Date	23 November 2008 – 2 January 2009
Location	Kilinochchi, Northern Sri Lanka9°23′N 80°24′E / 9.383°N 80.400°E
Result	Sri Lankan Army victory
Belligerents
Military of Sri Lanka	Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Gen Sarath Fonseka; Brig. Shavendra Silva; Maj. Gen Jagath Dias;	Velupillai Prabhakaran; Colonel Theepan; Colonel Bhanu; Lt Col Lawrence
Strength
58 Division; 57 Division	Charles Anthony Brigade; Jeyanthan Brigade; Imran Pandyan Brigade
Casualties and losses
1,000+ killed; 2,200+ wounded(LTTE claim)	Heavy
	300,000+ Tamil civilians flee to the Puthukkudiyiruppu Area. Both parties claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the other while suffering minimal losses.

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The Battle of Kilinochchi was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for control of the town of Kilinochchi in the Northern Theatre of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war between November 2008 and January 2009. The town of Kilinochchi was the administrative center and de facto capital of the LTTE's proposed state of Tamil Eelam.

The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) conducted an offensive through November and December 2008, during which three attempts were made to capture the town during December. These were thwarted by the LTTE, and both sides claimed that they suffered minimal casualties while inflicting maximum damage on the other during these assaults.^[7] The Sri Lanka Air Force launched air strikes against LTTE positions in Kilinochchi throughout this period. On 2 January 2009 divisions of the Sri Lanka Army advanced into Kilinochchi from the northern, southern and western directions of the town, and the LTTE fighters withdrew into positions in nearby jungles. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka, later announced that the military had taken control of the town and urged the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender.^[8] However, the LTTE stated that the SLA captured a "ghost town" after they withdrew, and described it as an insignificant loss.^[7]^[9]

After Kilinochchi was captured, several foreign governments urged both parties to seek a political solution.^[10] The Colombo Stock Exchange recorded a rise and the rupee stabilised,^[11] while celebrators lit firecrackers on the streets soon after the capture was declared.^[12] Amidst the celebrations, a suicide bomb attack occurred in the evening in front of the air force headquarters in Colombo, killing three and wounding about 30. The SLA continued to advance into LTTE-held territory, capturing some more strategically important locations, including Elephant Pass and the entire A9 Highway soon after the fall of Kilinochchi.

History and background

The Sri Lanka Army withdrew from Kilinochchi in 1990, enabling the LTTE to take control of the town for the first time. The SLA recaptured it during operations Sathjaya I, II and III in September 1996. However, the LTTE launched Operation Unceasing Waves II in September 1998 and captured the town again, forcing the SLA to vacate it. This battle caused heavy casualties to both sides, and the loss was described by the then military spokesman, Brig. Sunil Tennakoon, as "the largest blow after Mullaitivu".^[13]

Although Kilinochchi is not a strategically important location in terms of military operations, it bears a symbolic importance because of the LTTE using it as the de facto capital of Tamil Eelam, the separate state that the LTTE is fighting for.^[14] Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Col. Karuna, a former commander of the LTTE, claimed that the town of Kilinochchi was important for the LTTE because it was the showcase of the organization^[15] According to government claims, all civil administrative affairs were handled by government authorities despite the LTTE being in control of the town.^[16]^[17]

Administrative Capital

After 2002, the LTTE used Kilinochchi as the administrative hub of the area under its control. The LTTE established a police force, named Tamil Eelam Police Force, Peace Secretariat and Bank in areas under its control and Kilinochchi housed the headquarters for these entities.^[18] The Tamil Tigers also established and implemented a Judicial system which consisted of district courts, high courts and supreme court as well as a court of appeal. The supreme court was also located in Kilinochchi.^[19]^[20]^[21]^[22]

Preparations

After the Sri Lankan military captured the Eastern Province from the LTTE, it advanced rapidly into LTTE-held territory in the Northern Province. The town of Kilinochchi was a major target for the troops during this offensive.^[14] With the SLA advancing on several fronts, the 57 Division and Task Force 1 (now 58 Division) operated on the Kilinochchi front with the objective of capturing the town. The overall operation was led by Maj Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, the Wanni Security Forces Commander. Both divisions advanced from the west of the country, with 57 Division approaching Kilinochchi from the south and west while Task Force 1 advanced further northwards, capturing other key LTTE strongholds in order to converge on Kilinochchi from the north.^[23] By early October, Kilinochchi had been vacated by its residents and units of the Kilinochchi hospital, banks and several government institutions were relocated at Tharmapuram, a village 13 kilometres (8 mi) away.^[24]^[25]

57 Division, led by Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, captured Akkarayankulam on 18 October 2008,^[26] a large village located to the southwest of Kilinochchi. The capture of this village enabled the SLA to attack Kilinochchi from the southwest.^[27] The Iranamadu junction, located to the south of Kilinochchi, was captured later, enabling the SLA to advance towards Kilinochchi from the south.^[28] Troops from the 57 Division earlier captured several LTTE strongholds such as Adampan and Kokavil^[29]

Task Force 1, led by Brig. Shavendra Silva, advanced along the western coast, capturing several strategically important locations including the Mannar "Rice Bowl" area, Viddathalthivu, and Nachchikuda. Task Force 1 launched an attack on Pooneryn on 15 November 2008, spearheaded by troops from the 2nd and 3rd Commando Regiments and a squadron of Special Forces, and captured the area.^[30] From there, Task Force 1 moved west and captured Paranthan on 31 December 2008, enabling the SLA to attack Kilinochchi from the north.^[31]

The LTTE used their self-styled "Ditch-cum-bund" strategy to defend the town and constructed earth bunds and trenches around the area in an "L" shape to halt the advance of the Sri Lankan military. One such earth bund was constructed to the south. Another stretched across the B69 Pooneryn-Paranthan road, along the western side of the town.^[32] The LTTE had deployed its elite units, the Charles Anthony, the Jeyanthan, and Imran Pandian brigades along with other regular units under the overall command of Colonel Theepan with logistical and material support from Colonel Bhanu and Lt Col Lawrence for the defence of Kilinochchi.^[33]^[34] Meanwhile, the SLA began launching artillery attacks, while the Air Force launched air raids against LTTE positions in and around Kilinochchi. One such attack targeted the LTTE office complex in Kilinochchi.^[35] The government declared in October 2008 that it was ready to capture Kilinochchi.^[36] However, LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran declared in an email interview that capturing Kilinochchi was "just a daydream of President Mahinda Rajapaksa".^[37]

Timeline

The Sri Lankan military began attacking Kilinochchi from three directions on 23 November 2008.^[38] Throughout December the SLA conducted three offensives in an attempt to take Kilinochchi. Heavy monsoon rains affected both sides during November and December,^[12] with floods covering a large area in and around Kilinochchi.^[39] Troop movements were limited by this, and mines had been scattered around the area by the flood waters.^[40] Throughout the offensive, the Sri Lanka Air Force carried out numerous air strikes against Kilinochchi in support of the SLA.^[41]

On 10 December 2008 the LTTE claimed to have blunted the first SLA offensive and killed 89 soldiers. However, the SLA claimed to have lost only 20 soldiers and killed 27 rebels.^[42]

On 16 December 2008 the SLA launched a multi-front offensive against Kilinochchi. This assault was defeated by the LTTE, which claimed that SLA casualties in this battle were 130 soldiers dead and more than 300 wounded. They also claimed to have captured 28 bodies of army soldiers.^[43]^[44] However, the SLA denied this and claimed to have had only 25 soldiers killed, 18 missing and 160 wounded while they killed 120 Tigers.^[45] Heavy artillery and mortar fire was exchanged between both sides during the battle. Fighting continued for 10 days after this battle, during which period the SLA managed to capture some parts of the earth bund to the west of Kilinochchi.^[46]

On 20 December 2008 the LTTE mounted a counteroffensive as SLA forces were preparing an assault to capture the village of Iranamadu, located to the south of Kilinochchi. The LTTE claimed that at least 60 soldiers were killed in the battle, but these claims were again disputed by military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, who claimed that SLA losses were 12 killed and 12 missing.^[47]^[48]

Capture

LTTE started to withdraw its personnel from Kilinochchi with the fall of Paranthan on 31 December 2008, as divisions of the Sri Lanka Army began surrounding the town.^[49] On 2 January 2009 the Sri Lanka Army entered the town of Kilinochchi.^[50] The SLA claimed it encountered only minimal resistance once it entered the town, as the rebels had withdrawn to positions in nearby jungles.^[12] According to the military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the SLA entered the town from three directions, overcoming pockets of LTTE resistance.^[7] The troop movements started on the dawn of 2 January 2009 when units of the 57 Division advanced 1 kilometre (1 mi) across the built-up area to the west of Kilinochchi, and entered the town center. More units of the 57 Division moved into the town from the south, while Task Force 1 also advanced into the town from the north along the west and east of the A9 highway.^[23]

After the capture of the town, the National Flag of Sri Lanka was raised at the town center by the commanding officer of the 57 Division, Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, along with the flags of Sri Lanka Army, Air Force and the 57 Division.^[51]

The infrastructure of the town was heavily damaged when the SLA took control of it. Most of the houses were badly damaged and a large water tank had been destroyed, which the SLA said had been done by the LTTE using explosives. According to a senior commander of the SLA, the LTTE had damaged the town's infrastructure to obstruct the advance of the Sri Lankan military.^[52] Power supply lines in Kilinochchi had also been damaged.^[53] However, the LTTE claimed that the town's infrastructure had been destroyed by artillery attacks and air raids carried out by the Sri Lankan military.^[7]

Reactions

The President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, announced the capture of Kilinochchi at the Presidential Secretariat on the evening of 2 January and called for the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender, stating that this would be the "final message" to the LTTE.^[8] In his speech he stated that:

What our heroic troops have achieved is not only the capture of the great fortress of the LTTE, but a major victory in the world's battle against terrorism.^[8]

The Island editorial described the capture of Kilinochchi as a blow to global terror and that it has sent a strong message that the civilized world is capable of eliminating the scourge of terrorism.^[54]

Pro-rebel website Tamilnet reported that LTTE fighters and civilians had moved further northeast, and the Sri Lankan military had entered a "virtual ghost town".^[7] Balasingham Nadesan, the LTTE's political head, observed that the loss of Kilinochchi was an insignificant setback in the context of their liberation struggle, claiming that:

Kilinochchi town was captured more than once by the Sri Lanka military earlier. Similarly, we have also recaptured the town on earlier occasions.^[9]

Several foreign governments expressed their views on the capture of Kilinochchi soon after the event. On 2 January 2009 the United States Department of State urged the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to start negotiating over the "legitimate issues" of the Tamils.^[55]

India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon stated that there would be no military solution for the problems that are faced by Sri Lanka, regardless of how the military situation fluctuates. He mentioned that there should be a "political understanding within the framework of a united Sri Lanka" within which all communities can be comfortable.^[56]

A statement was issued by the United Kingdom government as well, urging Sri Lanka to find a political solution. Their statement said that the need for a political solution was "even more urgent" now with the Sri Lankan military capturing Kilinochchi. In addition, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Government, Lord Malloch Brown and Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, urged both parties of the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law.^[10]

The news of the fall of Kilinochchi to the Sri Lankan military resulted in celebration, including gathering on the streets and lighting firecrackers, in places like Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Colombo, Ampara and Kalutara.^[12]^[57] The government of Sri Lanka claimed that the population in Jaffna celebrated the capture by raising the national flag with anti-LTTE slogans and demonstrations.^[58] However Tamilnet, the pro-rebel website, denied these claims and said that the public was forced to take part in the celebrations. It claimed that the Sri Lankan Army confiscated the National identity cards of many residents in order to force them to take part.^[59] The country officially marked the capture of Kilinochchi on 5 January by hoisting the national flag and observing two minutes of silence to honour the troops, while television and radio stations either blacked out their regular bulletins during this time or played patriotic songs.^[60]

Aftermath

Following the capture of Kilinochchi by the SLA, the Colombo Stock Exchange recorded a rise of around 5 percent on the news and the Sri Lankan rupee became steady.^[11] A few hours after the President of Sri Lanka declared the victory, a suicide bombing was carried out outside the Air Force headquarters in Colombo, in which two air force police officers and a member of the bomb-disposal unit were killed and 30 people wounded.^[61] On 3 January 2009, at least 3 people were injured in another explosion that occurred in Pettah Market, triggered under a parked vehicle.^[62] On 6 January an armed group attacked and damaged the Maharaja Television/Broadcasting Network studios of Capital Maharaja in Pannipitiya, after state-owned media accused the media organization of not giving sufficient airtime to report the capture of Kilinochchi. Reporters Without Borders condemned this attack, observing that it seemed to have occurred because the media organization's "coverage was not patriotic enough".^[63]^[64]

Soon after the capture of Kilinochchi, the government decided to ban the LTTE.^[65] The ban was put into effect from midnight pn 7 January, for "using civilians as human shields in uncleared areas and endangering their lives, despite requests by the government to release them".^[66]

The military continued its advance into LTTE-held territory and captured the key LTTE position at Pallai within a few days.^[9] Soon afterward on 9 January the SLA captured the strategically important Elephant Pass area, which links the Jaffna Peninsula with the mainland.^[67]^[68] The SLA is continued its offensive with the objective of capturing Mullaitivu, the only remaining major stronghold of the LTTE.^[69] Mullaitivu was also captured on 25 January.^[70]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam}}{{good article}}
-{{main|Northern Theater of Eelam War IV}}
+{{EngvarB|date=December 2018}}{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
-{{Infobox Military Conflict
+{{Infobox military conflict
-|conflict=Battle of Kilinochchi
+| conflict          = Battle of Kilinochchi
-|partof=the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]], [[2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive]]
+| partof            = the [[Sri Lankan civil war|Sri Lankan Civil War]], [[2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive]]
-|image=[[File:Kilinochchi.svg|200px]]
+| image_size        = 300px
-|caption=[[Kilinochchi]]
+| caption           = [[Kilinochchi]]
-|date=November 23, 2008 - January 2, 2009
+| date              = 23 November 2008 – 2 January 2009
-|place=[[Kilinochchi]], Northern [[Sri Lanka]]
+| place             = [[Kilinochchi]], Northern [[Sri Lanka]]
-|casus=
+| coordinates       = {{coord|9|23|N|80|24|E|display=inline,title}}
-|territory=
+| casus             =
-|result=Sri Lankan Army victory
+| territory         =
-|combatant1=[[Image:Coat of arms of Sri Lanka.svg|18px]] [[Military of Sri Lanka]]
+| result            = Sri Lankan Army victory
-|combatant2=<!--  Commented out: [[Image:Ltte emblem.jpg|18px]] --><!-- Do NOT remove this emblem--> [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]]
+| combatant1        = {{flagicon|Sri Lanka}} [[Military of Sri Lanka]]
-|commander1=Lt. Gen [[Sarath Fonseka]]<br />
+| combatant2        = {{Flagicon image|Tamil Eelam Flag.svg|15px}} [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]]
-Maj. Gen [[Jagath Jayasuriya]]<br />
+| commander1        = Lt. Gen [[Sarath Fonseka]]<br />Brig. [[Shavendra Silva]]<ref name="eelamview.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.eelamview.com/2012/04/07/brigadier-theepan-heroic-saga-of-a-northern-warrior-2/ |title=Brigadier Theepan Heroic saga of a Northern warrior |access-date=23 April 2022 |archive-date=21 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921185414/https://www.eelamview.com/2012/04/07/brigadier-theepan-heroic-saga-of-a-northern-warrior-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
-Maj. Gen Jagath Dias<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7810911.stm |title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - Army closes in on key Jaffna pass |publisher=BBC News |date= |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref><br />
+Maj. Gen [[Jagath Dias]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7810911.stm |title=BBC NEWS South Asia – Army closes in on key Jaffna pass |work=BBC News |date=5 January 2009 |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107113912/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7810911.stm |archive-date=7 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref><br />
-Brig. Shavendra Silva
-|commander2=[[Velupillai Prabhakaran]]<br />[[Colonel Bhanu]]<br />[[Colonel Theepan]]<br />Lawrence
+| commander2        = [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]]<br />[[Colonel Theepan]]<br />[[Colonel Bhanu]]<br />[[List of commanders of the LTTE#Lt. Colonel Lawrence|Lt Col Lawrence]]
+| strength1         = [[58 Division (Sri Lanka)|58 Division]]; [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]]
-|strength1=
+| strength2         = [[Charles Anthony Brigade]]; [[Jeyanthan Brigade]]; [[Imran Pandyan Brigade]]
-|strength2=
+| casualties1       = 1,000+ killed; 2,200+ wounded(LTTE claim)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27559 |title=TamilNet |access-date=23 April 2022 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423180059/https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27559 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27617 |title=TamilNet |access-date=23 April 2022 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423180058/https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27617 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27709 |title=TamilNet |access-date=23 April 2022 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423180100/https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27709 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27716 |title=TamilNet |access-date=23 April 2022 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423180101/https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27716 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-|casualties1= Unknown
-|casualties2= Unknown
+| casualties2       = Heavy<ref name="eelamview.com"/>
-| notes= Both parties claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the other, while suffering minimal losses. Verification of either count of casualties is impossible since there are no independent reports from the battle front.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" />
+| notes             = 300,000+ Tamil civilians flee to the Puthukkudiyiruppu Area. Both parties claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the other while suffering minimal losses.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" />
+| image             = Kilinochchi.svg
 }}
-{{Campaignbox Sri Lankan Civil War}}
+{{Campaignbox Eelam War IV}}
-The '''Battle of Kilinochchi ''' was a land battle fought between the [[Military of Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan Military]] and the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE) for the control of the town of [[Kilinochchi]] in the [[Northern Theater of Eelam War IV|Northern Theater]] of [[Eelam War IV]] during the [[Sri Lankan civil war]]  between November 2008 and January 2009. The town of [[Kilinochchi]] was the administrative center and [[de facto]] capital of the LTTE's proposed state of [[Tamil Eelam]].
+The '''Battle of Kilinochchi ''' was a land battle fought between the [[Military of Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan Military]] and the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE) for control of the town of [[Kilinochchi]] in the [[Northern Theatre of Eelam War IV|Northern Theatre]] of [[Eelam War IV]] during the [[Sri Lankan civil war]] between November 2008 and January 2009. The town of [[Kilinochchi]] was the administrative center and de facto capital of the LTTE's proposed state of [[Tamil Eelam]].
-The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) conducted an offensive through the months of November and December 2008 during which three attempts were made to capture the town during the month of December. These were thwarted by the LTTE, and both sides claimed that they suffered minimal casualties while inflicting maximum damage on the other during these assaults.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" /> The [[Sri Lanka Air Force]] launched [[air strike]]s against LTTE positions in Kilinochchi throughout this period. On 2 January 2009, divisions of the [[Sri Lanka Army]] advanced into Kilinochchi from the northern, southern and western directions of the town, and the LTTE fighters withdrew into positions in nearby jungles. [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]], the president of Sri Lanka, later announced that the military had taken control of the town and urged the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender.<ref name="pres speech" /> However, the LTTE stated that the SLA captured a "ghost town" after they withdrew, and described it as an insignificant loss.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" /><ref name="Nadesan" />
+The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) conducted an offensive through November and December 2008, during which three attempts were made to capture the town during December. These were thwarted by the LTTE, and both sides claimed that they suffered minimal casualties while inflicting maximum damage on the other during these assaults.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" /> The [[Sri Lanka Air Force]] launched [[air strike]]s against LTTE positions in Kilinochchi throughout this period. On 2 January 2009 divisions of the [[Sri Lanka Army]] advanced into Kilinochchi from the northern, southern and western directions of the town, and the LTTE fighters withdrew into positions in nearby jungles. [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]], the president of Sri Lanka, later announced that the military had taken control of the town and urged the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender.<ref name="pres speech" /> However, the LTTE stated that the SLA captured a "ghost town" after they withdrew, and described it as an insignificant loss.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" /><ref name="Nadesan" />
-After Kilinochchi was captured, several foreign governments urged both parties to seek a political solution.<ref name="foreign statements" /> The [[Colombo Stock Exchange]] recorded a rise and the [[Sri Lankan rupee|rupee]] stabilized,<ref name="Sri Lankan troops march into rebel headquarters" /> while celebrators lit firecrackers on the streets soon after the capture was declared.<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital " /> Amidst the celebrations, a suicide bomb attack occurred in the evening in front of the air force headquarters in Colombo, killing 3 and wounding about 30 people. The SLA continued to advance into LTTE held territory, capturing some more strategically important locations, including [[Elephant Pass]] and the entire [[A9 highway (Sri Lanka)|A9 Highway]] soon after the fall of Kilinochchi.
+After Kilinochchi was captured, several foreign governments urged both parties to seek a political solution.<ref name="foreign statements" /> The [[Colombo Stock Exchange]] recorded a rise and the [[Sri Lankan rupee|rupee]] stabilised,<ref name="Sri Lankan troops march into rebel headquarters" /> while celebrators lit firecrackers on the streets soon after the capture was declared.<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital"/> Amidst the celebrations, a suicide bomb attack occurred in the evening in front of the air force headquarters in Colombo, killing three and wounding about 30. The SLA continued to advance into LTTE-held territory, capturing some more strategically important locations, including [[Elephant Pass]] and the entire [[A9 highway (Sri Lanka)|A9 Highway]] soon after the fall of Kilinochchi.
 ==History and background==
+{{main|Northern Theatre of Eelam War IV}}
-The Sri Lanka Army withdrew from Kilinochchi in 1990, enabling the LTTE to take control of the town for the first time. The SLA recaptured it during operations Sathjaya I, II, and III in September 1996. However, the LTTE launched [[Battle of Kilinochchi (1998)|Operation Unceasing Waves II]] in September 1998 and captured the town again, forcing the SLA to vacate it. This battle caused heavy casualties to both sides, and the loss was described by the then military spokesman, Brigadier Sunil Tennakoon, as "the largest blow after [[Battle of Mullaitivu|Mullaitivu]]".<ref name="1998 battle">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Rebels launch heavy assault on Sri Lankan army |work=CNN |page= |date=7 October 1998 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9810/07/sri.lanka/index.html }}</ref>
+The Sri Lanka Army withdrew from Kilinochchi in 1990, enabling the LTTE to take control of the town for the first time. The SLA recaptured it during operations Sathjaya I, II and III in September 1996. However, the LTTE launched [[Battle of Kilinochchi (1998)|Operation Unceasing Waves II]] in September 1998 and captured the town again, forcing the SLA to vacate it. This battle caused heavy casualties to both sides, and the loss was described by the then military spokesman, Brig. Sunil Tennakoon, as "the largest blow after [[Battle of Mullaitivu (1996)|Mullaitivu]]".<ref name="1998 battle">{{cite news |title=Rebels launch heavy assault on Sri Lankan army |publisher=CNN |date=7 October 1998 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9810/07/sri.lanka/index.html |archive-date=27 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927050550/http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9810/07/sri.lanka/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
-Although Kilinochchi is not a strategically important location in terms of military operations, it bears a symbolic importance because of the LTTE using it as the [[de facto]] capital of [[Tamil Eelam]], the separate state that the LTTE is fighting for.<ref name="push">{{cite news |first=Roland |last=Buerk |coauthors= |title=Sri Lanka's push to take rebel HQ |work=BBC News |page= |date=17 September 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7620313.stm }}</ref> [[Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan]] alias Colonel Karuna, a former commander of the LTTE, claimed that the town of Kilinochchi was important for the LTTE because it was the showcase of the organization <ref name="karuna">{{cite news |first=Amantha |last=Perera |coauthors= |title=Trench war looms in the Wanni |work=The Sunday Leader |page= |date=14 September 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20080914/Defence.HTM }}</ref> According to government claims, all civil administrative affairs were handled by government authorities despite the LTTE being in control of the town.<ref name="gov announcement">{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7924&Itemid=44 |title=Kilinochchi Liberated – LTTE leadership further cornered in pockets of Mullaitivu District |accessdate=11 January 2009 |work= |publisher=news.lk – The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka |date=}}</ref><ref name="">{{cite news |first=B. Muralidhar |last=Reddy |coauthors= |title= Kilinochchi captured in devastating blow to LTTE |work=The Hindu |page= |date=3 January 2009 |accessdate=12 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010357740100.htm }}</ref>
+Although Kilinochchi is not a strategically important location in terms of military operations, it bears a symbolic importance because of the LTTE using it as the de facto capital of [[Tamil Eelam]], the separate state that the LTTE is fighting for.<ref name="push">{{cite news |first=Roland |last=Buerk |title=Sri Lanka's push to take rebel HQ |work=BBC News |date=17 September 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7620313.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107132543/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7620313.stm |archive-date=7 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan]] alias Col. Karuna, a former commander of the LTTE, claimed that the town of Kilinochchi was important for the LTTE because it was the showcase of the organization<ref name="karuna">{{cite news |first=Amantha |last=Perera |title=Trench war looms in the Wanni |work=The Sunday Leader |date=14 September 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20080914/Defence.HTM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016143915/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20080914/Defence.HTM |archive-date=16 October 2008}}</ref> According to government claims, all civil administrative affairs were handled by government authorities despite the LTTE being in control of the town.<ref name="gov announcement">{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7924&Itemid=44 |title=Kilinochchi Liberated – LTTE leadership further cornered in pockets of Mullaitivu District |access-date=11 January 2009 |publisher=news.lk – The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka |archive-date=28 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528230636/http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7924&Itemid=44 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=B. Muralidhar |last=Reddy |title=Kilinochchi captured in devastating blow to LTTE |location=India |date=3 January 2009 |access-date=12 January 2009 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010357740100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124013634/http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010357740100.htm |archive-date=24 January 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 === Administrative Capital ===
+[[File:LTTE car with soldiers in Killinochi april 2004.jpg|thumb|left|250px|LTTE patrol in Killinochchi, 2004]]
-{{main|Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam#Administrative}}
-After 2002, the LTTE used Kilinochchi as the administrative hub of the area under its control. The LTTE established a Police force, named Tamil Eelam Police Force, Peace Secretariat and Bank in areas under its control and Kilinochchi housed the headquarters for these entities. <ref name="mirror1">{{cite news |first=Sunil |last=Jayasiri |coauthors= |title=Kilinochchi falls |work=Daily Mirror |page= |date=3 January 2009 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=36847 }}</ref>. The Tamil Tigers also established and implemented a Judicial system which consisted of district courts, high courts and supreme court as well as a court of appeal. The supreme court was also located in Kilinochchi. <ref name=Nadarajah2005>{{cite journal
+After 2002, the LTTE used Kilinochchi as the administrative hub of the area under its control. The LTTE established a police force, named Tamil Eelam Police Force, Peace Secretariat and Bank in areas under its control and Kilinochchi housed the headquarters for these entities.<ref name="mirror1">{{cite news |first=Sunil |last=Jayasiri |title=Kilinochchi falls |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |date=3 January 2009 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=36847 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105130734/http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=36847 |archive-date=5 January 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Tamil Tigers also established and implemented a Judicial system which consisted of district courts, high courts and supreme court as well as a court of appeal. The supreme court was also located in Kilinochchi.<ref name=Nadarajah2005>{{cite journal |author=Nadarajah, S. |author2=Sriskandarajah, D. |year=2005 |title=Liberation struggle or terrorism? The politics of naming the ltte |journal=Third World Quarterly |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=87–100 |doi=10.1080/0143659042000322928 |s2cid=142761913 |url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/32257/1/NadarajahSriskandarajah-2005_TWQ_Terrorism%20or%20liberation%20struggle%20-%20Politics%20of%20naming%20the%20Tamil%20Tigers.pdf |access-date=20 April 2020 |archive-date=7 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507003743/https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/32257/1/NadarajahSriskandarajah-2005_TWQ_Terrorism%20or%20liberation%20struggle%20-%20Politics%20of%20naming%20the%20Tamil%20Tigers.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Ranganathan2002>{{cite journal |author=Ranganathan, M. |year=2002 |title=Nurturing a Nation on the Net: The Case of Tamil Eelam |journal=Nationalism and Ethnic Politics |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=51–66 |doi=10.1080/13537110208428661 |s2cid=144811729}}</ref><ref name=Stokke2000a>{{cite journal |author=Stokke, K. |author2=Ryntveit, A.K. |year=2000 |title=The Struggle for Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka |journal=Growth and Change: A Journal of Urban and Regional Policy |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=285–304 |doi=10.1111/0017-4815.00129|bibcode=2000GroCh..31..285S }}</ref><ref name= McConnell2008>{{cite journal |author=McConnell, D. |year=2008 |title=The Tamil people's right to self-determination |journal=Cambridge Review of International Affairs |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=59–76 |doi=10.1080/09557570701828592 |s2cid=154770852}}</ref>
- | author = Nadarajah, S.
- | coauthors = Sriskandarajah, D.
- | year = 2005
- | title = Liberation struggle or terrorism? The politics of naming the ltte
- | journal = Third World Quarterly
- | volume = 26
- | issue = 1
- | pages = 87–100
- | doi = 10.1080/0143659042000322928
-}}</ref>
-<ref name=Ranganathan2002>{{cite journal
- | author = Ranganathan, M.
- | year = 2002
- | title = Nurturing a Nation on the Net: The Case of Tamil Eelam
- | journal = Nationalism and Ethnic Politics
- | volume = 8
- | issue = 2
- | pages = 51–66
- | url = http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/nep/2002/00000008/00000002/art00004
- | accessdate = 2008-03-25
-}}</ref><ref name=Stokke2000a>{{cite journal
- | author = Stokke, K.
- | coauthors = Ryntveit, A.K.
- | year = 2000
- | title = The Struggle for Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka
- | journal = A Journal of Urban and Regional Policy
- | volume = 31
- | issue = 2
- | pages = 285–304
- | doi = 10.1111/0017-4815.00129
-}}</ref><ref name= McConnell2008>{{cite journal
- | author = McConnell, D.
- | year = 2008
- | title = The Tamil people's right to self-determination
- | journal = Cambridge Review of International Affairs
- | volume = 21
- | issue = 1
- | pages = 59–76
- | url = http://www.informaworld.com/index/790622093.pdf
- | accessdate = 2008-03-25
- | doi = 10.1080/09557570701828592 <!--Retrieved from CrossRef by DOI bot-->
-|format=PDF}}</ref>
 ==Preparations==
-[[File:SLA advance at Kilinochchi.png|thumb|left|The advance of the 57 Division and Task Force 1 on Kilinochchi]]
+[[File:SLA advance at Kilinochchi.png|thumb|left|The advance of the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] and Task Force 1 on Kilinochchi]]
-After the Sri Lankan military [[Eastern Theater of Eelam War IV|captured the Eastern Province]] from the LTTE, it advanced rapidly into LTTE-held territory in the [[Northern Province]]. The town of Kilinochchi was a major target for the troops during this offensive.<ref name="push" /> With the SLA advancing on several fronts, the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] and Task Force 1 (now 58 Division) operated on the Kilinochchi front with the objective of capturing the town. The overall operation was led by Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, the Wanni Security Forces Commander. Both divisions advanced from the west of the country, with 57 Division approaching Kilinochchi from the south and west, while the Task Force 1 advanced further northwards, capturing other key strongholds of the LTTE in order to converge on Kilinochchi from the north.<ref name="paranthan falls">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |coauthors= |title=All fronts close in on Kilinochchi |work=Daily News |page= |date=2 January 2009 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/02/sec03.asp }}</ref> By early October, Kilinochchi had been vacated by its residents and units of the Kilinochchi hospital, banks and several government institutions were relocated at [[Tharmapuram]], a village {{convert|13|km|0}} away.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Monsoon rains imminent; Govt. officials struggle with refugees  |work=The Sunday Times |page= |date=12 October 2008 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://sundaytimes.lk/081012/News/sundaytimesnews_16.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Iqbal |last=Athas |coauthors= |title=New enemy - the raging monsoon |work=The Sunday Times |page= |date=26 October 2008 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://sundaytimes.lk/081026/Columns/sitreport.html }}</ref>
+After the Sri Lankan military [[Eastern Theatre of Eelam War IV|captured the Eastern Province]] from the LTTE, it advanced rapidly into LTTE-held territory in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern Province]]. The town of Kilinochchi was a major target for the troops during this offensive.<ref name="push" /> With the SLA advancing on several fronts, the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] and Task Force 1 (now 58 Division) operated on the Kilinochchi front with the objective of capturing the town. The overall operation was led by Maj Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, the Wanni Security Forces Commander. Both divisions advanced from the west of the country, with [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] approaching Kilinochchi from the south and west while Task Force 1 advanced further northwards, capturing other key LTTE strongholds in order to converge on Kilinochchi from the north.<ref name="paranthan falls">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=All fronts close in on Kilinochchi |work=Daily News |date=2 January 2009 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/02/sec03.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531063903/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/02/sec03.asp |archive-date=31 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> By early October, Kilinochchi had been vacated by its residents and units of the Kilinochchi hospital, banks and several government institutions were relocated at [[Tharmapuram]], a village {{convert|13|km|0}} away.<ref>{{cite news |title=Monsoon rains imminent; Govt. officials struggle with refugees |work=The Sunday Times |location=UK |date=12 October 2008 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://sundaytimes.lk/081012/News/sundaytimesnews_16.html |archive-date=16 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016044258/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081012/News/sundaytimesnews_16.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Iqbal |last=Athas |title=New enemy – the raging monsoon |work=The Sunday Times |location=UK |date=26 October 2008 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://sundaytimes.lk/081026/Columns/sitreport.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211192935/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081026/Columns/sitreport.html |archive-date=11 December 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>
-Division, led by Major General Jagath Dias, captured [[Akkarayankulam]] on 18 October 2008,<ref name="akkarayankulam_aljazeera">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title= Sri Lanka army 'breaks' Tiger lines  |work=Al Jazeera |page= |date=19 October 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/10/20081019194629557141.html }}</ref> a large village located to the southwest of Kilinochchi. The capture of this village enabled the SLA to attack Kilinochchi from the southwest.<ref name="akkarayankulam">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala  |coauthors= |title=LTTE in total disarray as troops reach Pooneryn  |work=Sunday Observer |page= |date=9 November 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/09/sec03.asp }}</ref> The Iranamadu junction, located to the south of Kilinochchi was also captured later, enabling the SLA to advance towards Kilinochchi from the south.<ref name="irnamadu junc">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |coauthors= |title=Fall of Kilinochchi imminent – Iranamadu Captured |work=Daily News |page= |date=2 January 2009 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/02/sec01.asp }}</ref> Troops from the 57 Division earlier captured several LTTE strongholds such as Adampan and Kokavil<ref name="adampan&kokavil">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Army claims Kokavil also captured |work=Daily Mirror |page= |date=2 December 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=33925 }}</ref>
+[[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]], led by Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, captured [[Akkarayankulam]] on 18 October 2008,<ref name="akkarayankulam_aljazeera">{{cite news |title=Sri Lanka army 'breaks' Tiger lines |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=19 October 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/10/20081019194629557141.html |archive-date=18 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081118044720/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/10/20081019194629557141.html |url-status=live }}</ref> a large village located to the southwest of Kilinochchi. The capture of this village enabled the SLA to attack Kilinochchi from the southwest.<ref name="akkarayankulam">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=LTTE in total disarray as troops reach Pooneryn |work=Sunday Observer |date=9 November 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/09/sec03.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528153208/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/09/sec03.asp |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Iranamadu junction, located to the south of Kilinochchi, was captured later, enabling the SLA to advance towards Kilinochchi from the south.<ref name="irnamadu junc">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=Fall of Kilinochchi imminent – Iranamadu Captured |work=Daily News |date=2 January 2009 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/02/sec01.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111043534/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/02/sec01.asp |archive-date=11 January 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Troops from the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] earlier captured several LTTE strongholds such as Adampan and Kokavil<ref name="adampan&kokavil">{{cite news |title=Army claims Kokavil also captured |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |date=2 December 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=33925 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528015707/http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=33925 |archive-date=28 May 2009}}</ref>
-The Task Force 1, led by Brigadier Shavendra Silva, advanced along the western coast, capturing several strategically important locations including the [[Mannar]] "Rice Bowl" area, [[Viddathalthivu]], and [[Nachchikuda]]. The Task Force 1 launched an attack on [[Pooneryn]] on 15 November 2008, spearheaded by troops from the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> [[Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment|Commando]] Regiments and a squadron of [[Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment|Special Forces]], and captured the area.<ref name="pooneryn">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |coauthors= |title=Pooneryn Falls |work=Sunday Observer |page= |date=16 November 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/16/sec03.asp }}</ref> From there, the Task Force 1 moved west and captured [[Paranthan]] on 31 December 2008, enabling the SLA to attack Kilinochchi from the north.<ref name="end of line">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |coauthors= |title=End of the road for the LTTE  |work=Sunday Observer |page= |date=4 January 2009 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/01/04/sec03.asp }}</ref>
+Task Force 1, led by Brig. Shavendra Silva, advanced along the western coast, capturing several strategically important locations including the [[Mannar, Sri Lanka|Mannar]] "Rice Bowl" area, [[Viddathalthivu]], and [[Nachchikuda]]. Task Force 1 launched an attack on [[Pooneryn]] on 15 November 2008, spearheaded by troops from the 2nd and 3rd [[Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment|Commando]] Regiments and a squadron of [[Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment|Special Forces]], and captured the area.<ref name="pooneryn">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=Pooneryn Falls |work=Sunday Observer |date=16 November 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/16/sec03.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528153509/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/16/sec03.asp |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> From there, Task Force 1 moved west and captured [[Paranthan]] on 31 December 2008, enabling the SLA to attack Kilinochchi from the north.<ref name="end of line">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=End of the road for the LTTE |work=Sunday Observer |date=4 January 2009 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2009/01/04/sec03.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928065308/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/01/04/sec03.asp |archive-date=28 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>
-The LTTE constructed earth bunds and trenches around the town to halt the advance of the Sri Lankan military. One such earth bund was constructed to the south. Another stretched across the B69 Pooneryn – Paranthan road, along the western side of the town.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Lanka pounds LTTE bastions |work=Deccan Herald |page= |date=20 November 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/Nov202008/foreign20081119101686.asp }}</ref> The LTTE had deployed their elite units, the [[Charles Anthony Brigade|Charles Anthony]] and [[Imran Pandiyan Unit|Imran Pandiyan]] brigades along with other regular units under the command of [[Colonel Theepan|Theepan]], [[Colonel Bhanu|Bhanu]] and Lawrence for the defence of Kilinochchi.<ref name="LTTE units & commanders1">{{cite news |first=Amantha |last=Perera |coauthors= |title=Tiger administrative structure hit |work=The Sunday Leader |page= |date=12 October 2008 |accessdate=12 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20081012/Defence.HTM }}</ref><ref name="LTTE units & commanders2">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Ground fighting one-sided |work=The Nation |page= |date=2 November 2008 |accessdate=12 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.nation.lk/2008/11/02/militarym.htm }}</ref> Meanwhile, the SLA began launching artillery attacks, while the [[Sri Lanka Air Force|Air Force]] launched air raids against LTTE positions in and around Kilinochchi. One such attack targeted the LTTE office complex in Kilinochchi.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=LTTE Kilinochchi complex bombed   |work=BBC Sinhala News |page= |date=3 October 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/10/081003_ltte_nadesan.shtml }}</ref> The government declared in October 2008 that it was ready to capture Kilinochchi.<ref name="ready">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Sri Lankan military attack stalls |work=The Times |page= |date=20 October 2008 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=866818 }}</ref> However, LTTE leader [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] declared in an email interview that capturing Kilinochchi was "just a daydream of President Mahinda Rajapaksa".<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Capturing Kilinochchi a daydream for Lanka: LTTE chief   |work=ZeeNews |page= |date=3 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.zeenews.com/World/2009-01-03/495771news.html }}</ref>
+The LTTE used their self-styled "Ditch-cum-bund" strategy to defend the town and constructed earth bunds and trenches around the area in an "L" shape to halt the advance of the Sri Lankan military. One such earth bund was constructed to the south. Another stretched across the B69 Pooneryn-Paranthan road, along the western side of the town.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lanka pounds LTTE bastions |work=Deccan Herald |location=India |date=20 November 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/Nov202008/foreign20081119101686.asp}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The LTTE had deployed its elite units, the [[Charles Anthony Brigade|Charles Anthony]], the [[Jeyanthan Brigade|Jeyanthan]], and [[Imran Pandian Unit|Imran Pandian]] brigades along with other regular units under the overall command of [[Colonel Theepan]] with logistical and material support from [[Colonel Bhanu]] and [[List of commanders of the LTTE#Lt. Colonel Lawrence|Lt Col Lawrence]] for the defence of Kilinochchi.<ref name="LTTE units & commanders1">{{cite news |first=Amantha |last=Perera |title=Tiger administrative structure hit |work=The Sunday Leader |date=12 October 2008 |access-date=12 January 2009 |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20081012/Defence.HTM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014070259/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20081012/Defence.HTM |archive-date=14 October 2008}}</ref><ref name="LTTE units & commanders2">{{cite news |title=Ground fighting one-sided |work=The Nation |date=2 November 2008 |access-date=12 January 2009 |url=http://www.nation.lk/2008/11/02/militarym.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528041908/http://www.nation.lk/2008/11/02/militarym.htm |archive-date=28 May 2009}}</ref> Meanwhile, the SLA began launching artillery attacks, while the [[Sri Lanka Air Force|Air Force]] launched air raids against LTTE positions in and around Kilinochchi. One such attack targeted the LTTE office complex in Kilinochchi.<ref>{{cite news |title=LTTE Kilinochchi complex bombed |work=BBC Sinhala News |date=3 October 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/10/081003_ltte_nadesan.shtml |archive-date=6 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006052131/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/10/081003_ltte_nadesan.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The government declared in October 2008 that it was ready to capture Kilinochchi.<ref name="ready">{{cite news |title=Sri Lankan military attack stalls |work=The Times |location=UK |date=20 October 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=866818 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528015844/http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=866818 |archive-date=28 May 2009}}</ref> However, LTTE leader [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] declared in an email interview that capturing Kilinochchi was "just a daydream of President Mahinda Rajapaksa".<ref>{{cite news |title=Capturing Kilinochchi a daydream for Lanka: LTTE chief |work=ZeeNews |date=3 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://www.zeenews.com/World/2009-01-03/495771news.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528070157/http://www.zeenews.com/World/2009-01-03/495771news.html |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 ==Timeline==
-The Sri Lankan military began attacking Kilinochchi from three directions on 23 November 2008.<ref name="army begins attack">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Sri Lanka rebel HQ 'to fall soon' |work=BBC News |page= |date=26 November 2008 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7749475.stm }}</ref> Throughout the month of December, the SLA conducted three offensives in an attempt to take Kilinochchi. Heavy [[monsoon]] rains affected both sides during the months of November and December,<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital ">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/01/02/world/AP-AS-Sri-Lanka-Civil-War.html|title=Sri Lanka Says Troops Have Rebel Capital |date=January 2, 2009 |work=The Associated Press|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref> with floods covering a large area in and around Kilinochchi.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/satelliteimages/UNOSAT/a85e20ac16dbf6c1f501bdf2ae359141.htm |title=Overview of Flood Waters in Kilinochchi District, Sri Lanka |accessdate=13 January 2009 |work=Thomson Reuters Foundation |publisher=Reuters AlertNet |date=3 December 2008}}</ref> Troop movements were limited by this, and mines had been scattered around the area by the flood waters.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sunil |last=Jayasiri |coauthors= |title=Fierce fighting amidst heavy casualties |work=Daily Mirror |page= |date=19 December 2008 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=35521 }}</ref> Throughout the offensive, the [[Sri Lanka Air Force]] carried out numerous air strikes against Kilinochchi in support of the SLA.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Sri Lanka steps up air attacks against Tiger rebels |work=AFP |page= |date=19 December 2008 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hMNpARHszTmPT4TBd6OKtkH3J7Sw }}</ref>
+The Sri Lankan military began attacking Kilinochchi from three directions on 23 November 2008.<ref name="army begins attack">{{cite news |title=Sri Lanka rebel HQ 'to fall soon' |work=BBC News |date=26 November 2008 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7749475.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116021425/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7749475.stm |archive-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Throughout December the SLA conducted three offensives in an attempt to take Kilinochchi. Heavy [[monsoon]] rains affected both sides during November and December,<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital ">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/asia/03lanka.html |title=Sri Lanka Says Troops Captured Rebel Center |date=2 January 2009 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=2 January 2009 |first1=Somini |last1=Sengupta |archive-date=10 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010011357/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/asia/03lanka.html |url-status=live }}</ref> with floods covering a large area in and around Kilinochchi.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/satelliteimages/UNOSAT/a85e20ac16dbf6c1f501bdf2ae359141.htm |title=Overview of Flood Waters in Kilinochchi District, Sri Lanka |access-date=13 January 2009 |publisher=Thomson Reuters Foundation |agency=Reuters AlertNet |date=3 December 2008 |archive-date=28 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528022145/http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/satelliteimages/UNOSAT/a85e20ac16dbf6c1f501bdf2ae359141.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Troop movements were limited by this, and mines had been scattered around the area by the flood waters.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sunil |last=Jayasiri |title=Fierce fighting amidst heavy casualties |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |date=19 December 2008 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=35521 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528015246/http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=35521 |archive-date=28 May 2009}}</ref> Throughout the offensive, the [[Sri Lanka Air Force]] carried out numerous air strikes against Kilinochchi in support of the SLA.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sri Lanka steps up air attacks against Tiger rebels |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=19 December 2008 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hMNpARHszTmPT4TBd6OKtkH3J7Sw |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209085058/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hMNpARHszTmPT4TBd6OKtkH3J7Sw |archive-date=9 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
-On 10 December, the LTTE claimed to have blunted the first SLA offensive and killed 89 soldiers. However, the SLA claimed to have lost only 20 soldiers and killed 27 rebels.<ref name="of1">{{cite news |first=Bharatha |last=Mallawarachi |coauthors= |title=Web site: Tamil rebels kill 89 Sri Lankan soldiers |work=The China Post |page= |date=11 December 2008 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=https://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/other/2008/12/11/187250/Web-site:.htm }}</ref>
+On 10 December 2008 the LTTE claimed to have blunted the first SLA offensive and killed 89 soldiers. However, the SLA claimed to have lost only 20 soldiers and killed 27 rebels.<ref name="of1">{{cite news |first=Bharatha |last=Mallawarachi |title=Web site: Tamil rebels kill 89 Sri Lankan soldiers |work=China Post |location=Taiwan (ROC) |date=11 December 2008 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=https://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/other/2008/12/11/187250/Web-site:.htm |archive-date=5 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305163121/https://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/other/2008/12/11/187250/Web-site:.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
-On December 16, the SLA launched a multi-front offensive against Kilinochchi. This assault was defeated by the LTTE, who claimed that SLA casualties in this battle were 130 soldiers dead and more than 300 wounded. They also claimed to have captured 28 bodies of army soldiers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27758 |title=SLA death toll hits 170 in Vanni, hundreds wounded, 36 bodies recovered - LTTE |publisher=Tamilnet.com |date=2008-12-17 |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10643.shtml |title=LTTE releases photos of SLA debacle |publisher=Tamileelamnews.com |date=2008-12-18 |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> However, the SLA denied this and claimed to have had only 25 soldiers killed, 18 missing and 160 wounded while they killed 120 Tigers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10637.shtml |title=(Update-2) Sri Lanka loses two battalions troops in the latest battles |publisher=Tamileelamnews.com |date=2008-12-17 |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> Heavy artillery and mortar fire was exchanged between both sides during the battle. Fighting continued for 10 days after this battle, during which period the SLA managed to capture some parts of the earth bund to the west of Kilinochchi.<ref name="of2">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |coauthors= |title=Troops closing in on Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu |work=The Sunday Observer |page= |date=28 December 2008 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/12/28/sec03.asp }}</ref>
+On 16 December 2008 the SLA launched a multi-front offensive against Kilinochchi. This assault was defeated by the LTTE, which claimed that SLA casualties in this battle were 130 soldiers dead and more than 300 wounded. They also claimed to have captured 28 bodies of army soldiers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27758 |title=SLA death toll hits 170 in Vanni, hundreds wounded, 36 bodies recovered – LTTE |publisher=Tamilnet.com |date=17 December 2008 |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105151231/http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27758 |archive-date=5 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10643.shtml |title=LTTE releases photos of SLA debacle |publisher=Tamileelamnews.com |date=18 December 2008 |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119130444/http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10643.shtml |archive-date=19 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, the SLA denied this and claimed to have had only 25 soldiers killed, 18 missing and 160 wounded while they killed 120 Tigers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10637.shtml |title=(Update-2) Sri Lanka loses two battalions troops in the latest battles |publisher=Tamileelamnews.com |date=17 December 2008 |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119130931/http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10637.shtml |archive-date=19 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Heavy artillery and mortar fire was exchanged between both sides during the battle. Fighting continued for 10 days after this battle, during which period the SLA managed to capture some parts of the earth bund to the west of Kilinochchi.<ref name="of2">{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=Troops closing in on Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu |work=The Sunday Observer |date=28 December 2008 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/12/28/sec03.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528072133/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/12/28/sec03.asp |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
-On December 20, the LTTE mounted a counter-offensive as SLA forces were preparing an assault to capture the village of [[Iranamadu]], located to the south of Kilinochchi. The LTTE claimed that at least 60 soldiers were killed in the battle, but these claims were again disputed by the military spokesman Brigadier [[Udaya Nanayakkara]], who claimed that SLA losses were 12 killed and 12 missing.<ref name="of2 init">{{cite news |first=Roland |last=Buerk |coauthors= |title= 'Heavy fighting' near Kilinochchi |work=BBC Sinhala News |page= |date=21 December 2008 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/12/081221_kilinochchi_fighting.shtml }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=The Earthtimes |url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/247257,12-soldiers-killed-16-missingin-sri-lanka-combat.html |title=12 soldiers killed, 16 missingin Sri Lanka combat : India World |publisher=Earthtimes.org |date=2008-12-21 |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref>
+On 20 December 2008 the LTTE mounted a counteroffensive as SLA forces were preparing an assault to capture the village of [[Iranamadu]], located to the south of Kilinochchi. The LTTE claimed that at least 60 soldiers were killed in the battle, but these claims were again disputed by military spokesman Brig. [[Udaya Nanayakkara]], who claimed that SLA losses were 12 killed and 12 missing.<ref name="of2 init">{{cite news |first=Roland |last=Buerk |title='Heavy fighting' near Kilinochchi |work=BBC Sinhala News |date=21 December 2008 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/12/081221_kilinochchi_fighting.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224040747/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/12/081221_kilinochchi_fighting.shtml |archive-date=24 December 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=The Earthtimes |url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/247257,12-soldiers-killed-16-missingin-sri-lanka-combat.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903233238/http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/247257,12-soldiers-killed-16-missingin-sri-lanka-combat.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 September 2012 |title=12 soldiers killed, 16 missingin Sri Lanka combat : India World |publisher=Earthtimes.org |date=21 December 2008 |access-date=8 January 2009}}</ref>
 ===Capture===
-LTTE started to withdraw its personnel from Kilinochchi with the fall of Paranthan on 31 December 2008, as divisions of the Sri Lanka Army began surrounding the town.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sunil |last=Jayasiri |coauthors= |title=Paranthan falls: Muhamalai, Elephant Pass untenable for LTTE |work=Daily Mirror |page= |date=2 January 2009 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=36682 }}</ref> On 2 January 2009, the Sri Lanka Army entered the town of Kilinochchi.<ref name="Sri Lankan forces take over last LTTE bastion">{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sri-lankan-forces-take-over-last-ltte-bastion/81793-2.html?from=rssfeed|title=Sri Lankan forces take over last LTTE bastion|date=January 02, 2009|publisher=CNN-IBN|accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref> The SLA claimed they encountered only minimal resistance once it entered the town, as the rebels had withdrawn to positions in nearby jungles.<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital ">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/01/02/world/AP-AS-Sri-Lanka-Civil-War.html|title=Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital |date=January 2, 2009 |work=THE ASSOCIATED PRESS|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref> According to the military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the SLA entered the town from three directions, overcoming pockets of LTTE resistance.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" /> The troop movements started on the dawn of 2 January, when units of the 57 Division advanced {{convert|1|km|0}} across the built up area to the west of Kilinochchi, and entered the town center. More units of the 57 division moved into the town from the south, while the Task Force 1 also advanced into the town from the north along the west and east of the [[A 9 highway (Sri Lanka)|A9 highway]].<ref name="paranthan falls" />
+LTTE started to withdraw its personnel from Kilinochchi with the fall of Paranthan on 31 December 2008, as divisions of the Sri Lanka Army began surrounding the town.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sunil |last=Jayasiri |title=Paranthan falls: Muhamalai, Elephant Pass untenable for LTTE |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |date=2 January 2009 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=36682 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103074442/http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=36682 |archive-date=3 January 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 2 January 2009 the Sri Lanka Army entered the town of Kilinochchi.<ref name="Sri Lankan forces take over last LTTE bastion">{{cite news |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sri-lankan-forces-take-over-last-ltte-bastion/81793-2.html?from=rssfeed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528212356/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sri-lankan-forces-take-over-last-ltte-bastion/81793-2.html?from=rssfeed |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 May 2009 |title=Sri Lankan forces take over last LTTE bastion |date=2 January 2009 |publisher=CNN-IBN |access-date=2 January 2009}}</ref> The SLA claimed it encountered only minimal resistance once it entered the town, as the rebels had withdrawn to positions in nearby jungles.<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital"/> According to the military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the SLA entered the town from three directions, overcoming pockets of LTTE resistance.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" /> The troop movements started on the dawn of 2 January 2009 when units of the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] advanced {{convert|1|km|0}} across the built-up area to the west of Kilinochchi, and entered the town center. More units of the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]] moved into the town from the south, while Task Force 1 also advanced into the town from the north along the west and east of the [[A 9 highway (Sri Lanka)|A9 highway]].<ref name="paranthan falls" />
-After the capture of the town, the [[National Flag of Sri Lanka]] was raised at the town center by the commanding officer of the 57 Division, Major General Jagath Dias, along with the flags of Sri Lanka Army, Air Force, and the 57 Division.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |coauthors= |title=National flag flutters in Kilinochchi after 10 years |work=Daily News |page= |date=3 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/03/sec03.asp }}</ref>
+After the capture of the town, the [[National Flag of Sri Lanka]] was raised at the town center by the commanding officer of the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]], Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, along with the flags of Sri Lanka Army, Air Force and the [[57 Division (Sri Lanka)|57 Division]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Ranil |last=Wijayapala |title=National flag flutters in Kilinochchi after 10 years |work=Daily News |date=3 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/03/sec03.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531182047/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/03/sec03.asp |archive-date=31 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
-The infrastructure of the town was heavily damaged when the SLA took control of it. Most of the houses were badly damaged and a large [[Water tower|water tank]] had been destroyed, which the SLA accused had been done by the LTTE using explosives. According to a senior commander of the SLA, the LTTE had damaged the town's infrastructure to obstruct the advance of the Sri Lankan military.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Kilinochchi, virtually a ghost city  |work=The Hindu |page= |date=5 January 2009 |accessdate=16 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200901051923.htm }}</ref> Power supply lines in Kilinochchi had also been damaged.<ref>{{cite news |first=B. Muralidhar |last=Reddy |coauthors= |title=The ride to Kilinochchi and beyond |work=The Hindu |page= |date=9 January 2009 |accessdate=16 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010951331100.htm }}</ref> However, the LTTE claimed that the town's infrastructure had been destroyed by artillery attacks and air raids carried out by the Sri Lankan military.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" />
+The infrastructure of the town was heavily damaged when the SLA took control of it. Most of the houses were badly damaged and a large [[Water tower|water tank]] had been destroyed, which the SLA said had been done by the LTTE using explosives. According to a senior commander of the SLA, the LTTE had damaged the town's infrastructure to obstruct the advance of the Sri Lankan military.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kilinochchi, virtually a ghost city |work=The Hindu |location=India |date=5 January 2009 |access-date=16 January 2009 |url=http://www.hindu.com/holnus/001200901051923.htm |archive-date=3 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103150547/http://www.hindu.com/holnus/001200901051923.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> Power supply lines in Kilinochchi had also been damaged.<ref>{{cite news |first=B. Muralidhar |last=Reddy |title=The ride to Kilinochchi and beyond |location=India |date=9 January 2009 |access-date=16 January 2009 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010951331100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122060156/http://hindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010951331100.htm |archive-date=22 January 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the LTTE claimed that the town's infrastructure had been destroyed by artillery attacks and air raids carried out by the Sri Lankan military.<ref name="rebel HQ seized" />
 ==Reactions==
-The [[President of Sri Lanka]], [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]], announced the capture of Kilinochchi at the Presidential Secretariat on the evening of 2 January, and called for the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender, stating that this would be the "final message" to the LTTE.<ref name="pres speech" />. In his speech, he stated that:
+The [[President of Sri Lanka]], [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]], announced the capture of Kilinochchi at the Presidential Secretariat on the evening of 2 January and called for the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender, stating that this would be the "final message" to the LTTE.<ref name="pres speech" /> In his speech he stated that:
-{{quote|What our heroic troops have achieved is not only the capture of the great fortress of the LTTE, but a major victory in the world’s battle against terrorism.<ref name="pres speech">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/nic/kili.html |title=Kilinochchi capture - Text of President Rajapaksa's announcement |accessdate=14 January 2009 |work= |publisher=The Hindu |date=}}</ref>}}
+{{blockquote|What our heroic troops have achieved is not only the capture of the great fortress of the LTTE, but a major victory in the world's battle against terrorism.<ref name="pres speech">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/nic/kili.html |title=Kilinochchi capture – Text of President Rajapaksa's announcement |access-date=14 January 2009 |work=The Hindu |location=India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111091125/http://www.hindu.com/nic/kili.html |archive-date=11 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
-The Island editorial described the capture of Kilinochchi as a blow to global terror and that it has sent a strong message that the civilised world is capable of eliminating the scourge of terrorism.<ref name="island editorial">{{Cite web | url = http://www.island.lk/2009/01/03/editorial.html |title = A blow to        global terror | accessdate = 2009-01-14 | work = | publisher = The Island | date = 2009-01-03 }}</ref>
+The Island editorial described the capture of Kilinochchi as a blow to global terror and that it has sent a strong message that the civilized world is capable of eliminating the scourge of terrorism.<ref name="island editorial">{{Cite web |url=http://www.island.lk/2009/01/03/editorial.html |title=A blow to global terror |access-date=14 January 2009 |publisher=The Island |date=3 January 2009 |archive-date=24 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624062509/http://www.island.lk/2009/01/03/editorial.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
-Pro-[[LTTE|rebel]] website [[Tamilnet]] reported that LTTE fighters and civilians had moved further northeast, and the Sri Lankan military had entered a "virtual ghost town".<ref name="rebel HQ seized">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7807908.stm |title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - Sri Lankan troops seize rebel HQ |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-01-02 |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> [[Balasingham Nadesan]], the LTTE's political head, observed that the loss of Kilinochchi was an insignificant setback in the context of their liberation struggle, claiming that:
+Pro-[[LTTE|rebel]] website [[Tamilnet]] reported that LTTE fighters and civilians had moved further northeast, and the Sri Lankan military had entered a "virtual ghost town".<ref name="rebel HQ seized">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7807908.stm |title=BBC NEWS South Asia – Sri Lankan troops seize rebel HQ |work=BBC News |date=2 January 2009 |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107113259/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7807908.stm |archive-date=7 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Balasingham Nadesan]], the LTTE's political head, observed that the loss of Kilinochchi was an insignificant setback in the context of their liberation struggle, claiming that:
-{{quote|Kilinochchi town was captured more than once by the Sri Lanka military earlier. Similarly, we have also recaptured the town on earlier occasions.<ref name="Nadesan">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Army 'takes more Tiger territory' |work=BBC News |page= |date=8 January 2009 |accessdate=11 January 2009|quote= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7817110.stm }}</ref>}}
+{{blockquote|Kilinochchi town was captured more than once by the Sri Lanka military earlier. Similarly, we have also recaptured the town on earlier occasions.<ref name="Nadesan">{{cite news |title=Army 'takes more Tiger territory' |work=BBC News |date=8 January 2009 |access-date=11 January 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7817110.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108095006/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7817110.stm |archive-date=8 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
-Several foreign governments expressed their views on the capture of Kilinochchi soon after the event. On 2 January 2009, the [[United States Department of State]] urged the Sri Lankan Government and Tamil Tigers to start negotiating over the "legitimate issues" of the Tamils.<ref>{{cite news |author=[[AFP]] |title=US renews call for peaceful dialogue in Sri Lanka |publisher=[[AFP]] |date=2009-01-02 |url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jC0wgymq2Ls4t8LM3f7_2QwMEP2w |accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref>
+Several foreign governments expressed their views on the capture of Kilinochchi soon after the event. On 2 January 2009 the [[United States Department of State]] urged the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to start negotiating over the "legitimate issues" of the Tamils.<ref>{{cite news |title=US renews call for peaceful dialogue in Sri Lanka |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=2 January 2009 |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jC0wgymq2Ls4t8LM3f7_2QwMEP2w |access-date=2 January 2009 |archive-date=27 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227190623/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jC0wgymq2Ls4t8LM3f7_2QwMEP2w |url-status=dead }}</ref>
-India's Foreign Secretary [[Shivshankar Menon]] stated that there would be no military solution for the problems that are faced by Sri Lanka, regardless of how the military situation fluctuates. He mentioned that there should be a "political understanding within the framework of a united Sri Lanka" within which all communities can be comfortable.<ref name="menon statement">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title= No military solution - India   |work=BBC Sinhala News |page= |date=5 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2009/01/090105_india_kilinochchi.shtml }}</ref>
+India's Foreign Secretary [[Shivshankar Menon]] stated that there would be no military solution for the problems that are faced by Sri Lanka, regardless of how the military situation fluctuates. He mentioned that there should be a "political understanding within the framework of a united Sri Lanka" within which all communities can be comfortable.<ref name="menon statement">{{cite news |title=No military solution – India |work=BBC Sinhala News |date=5 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2009/01/090105_india_kilinochchi.shtml |archive-date=13 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113183057/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2009/01/090105_india_kilinochchi.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
-A statement was issued by the [[United Kingdom]] government as well, urging Sri Lanka to find a political solution. Their statement said that the need for a political solution was "even more urgent" now with the Sri Lankan military capturing Kilinochchi. In addition, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Government, [[Lord Malloch Brown]] and Secretary of State for International Development, [[Douglas Alexander]], urged both parties of the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law.<ref name="foreign statements">{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title= UK, US urge political solution   |work=BBC Sinhala News |page= |date=7 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2009/01/090107_uk_lanka.shtml }}</ref>
+A statement was issued by the United Kingdom government as well, urging Sri Lanka to find a political solution. Their statement said that the need for a political solution was "even more urgent" now with the Sri Lankan military capturing Kilinochchi. In addition, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Government, [[Lord Malloch Brown]] and Secretary of State for International Development, [[Douglas Alexander]], urged both parties of the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law.<ref name="foreign statements">{{cite news |title=UK, US urge political solution |work=BBC Sinhala News |date=7 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2009/01/090107_uk_lanka.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117010616/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2009/01/090107_uk_lanka.shtml |archive-date=17 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
-The news of the fall of Kilinochchi to the Sri Lankan Military resulted in celebration, including gathering on the streets and lighting firecrackers, in places like [[Nuwara Eliya]], [[Anuradhapura]], [[Colombo]], [[Ampara]] and [[Kalutara]]. <ref>{{cite news |first=Shelton |last=Hettiarachchi  |coauthors=Bandara, Athula; Seneviratne, Shane; Chandrapala, Wasantha |title=Crackers go up as Kilinochchi falls |work=The Sunday Times |page= |date=4 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://sundaytimes.lk/090104/News/sundaytimesnews_22.html }}</ref> <ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital " /> The Government of Sri Lanka claimed that the population in Jaffna celebrated the capture by raising the national flag with anti-LTTE slogans and demonstrations.<ref name="mcns">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=17203|title=Northerners celebrate the victory of the humanitarian mission |date=8 January 2009|work=The Media Centre for National Security|publisher=NationalSecurity.lk|accessdate=18 January 2009}}</ref> However Tamilnet, the pro-[[LTTE|rebel]] website, denied these claims and claimed that the public were forced to take part in the celebrations. It claimed that the Sri Lankan Army confiscated the National identity cards of many residents in order to force them to take part.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27914|title=SLA celebrates "Ki'linochchi victory" in Vadamaraadchi|date=4 January 2009|publisher=Tamilnet|accessdate=18 January 2009}}</ref> The country officially marked the capture of Kilinochchi on 5 January by hoisting the national flag and observing two minutes of silence to honour the troops, while television and radio stations either blacked out their regular bulletins during this time or played patriotic songs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hYDTcqOq5ylB0eftf2S1Mk1XO3Ug|title=Sri Lanka troops take strategic pass from Tiger rebels: army|date=5 January 2009|work=Agence France-Presse (AFP)|publisher=Google|accessdate=17 January 2009}}</ref>
+The news of the fall of Kilinochchi to the Sri Lankan military resulted in celebration, including gathering on the streets and lighting firecrackers, in places like [[Nuwara Eliya]], [[Anuradhapura]], [[Colombo]], [[Ampara]] and [[Kalutara]].<ref name="Sri Lanka Says It Enters Rebel Capital"/><ref>{{cite news |first=Shelton |last=Hettiarachchi |author2=Bandara, Athula |author3=Seneviratne, Shane |author4=Chandrapala, Wasantha |title=Crackers go up as Kilinochchi falls |work=The Sunday Times |location=UK |date=4 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://sundaytimes.lk/090104/News/sundaytimesnews_22.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114072055/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090104/News/sundaytimesnews_22.html |archive-date=14 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The government of Sri Lanka claimed that the population in Jaffna celebrated the capture by raising the national flag with anti-LTTE slogans and demonstrations.<ref name="mcns">{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=17203 |title=Northerners celebrate the victory of the humanitarian mission |date=8 January 2009 |work=The Media Centre for National Security |publisher=NationalSecurity.lk |access-date=18 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528050827/http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=17203 |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However Tamilnet, the pro-[[LTTE|rebel]] website, denied these claims and said that the public was forced to take part in the celebrations. It claimed that the Sri Lankan Army confiscated the National identity cards of many residents in order to force them to take part.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27914 |title=SLA celebrates "Ki'linochchi victory" in Vadamaraadchi |date=4 January 2009 |publisher=Tamilnet |access-date=18 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106231929/http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27914 |archive-date=6 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The country officially marked the capture of Kilinochchi on 5 January by hoisting the national flag and observing two minutes of silence to honour the troops, while television and radio stations either blacked out their regular bulletins during this time or played patriotic songs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hYDTcqOq5ylB0eftf2S1Mk1XO3Ug |title=Sri Lanka troops take strategic pass from Tiger rebels: army |date=5 January 2009 |work=Agence France-Presse (AFP) |access-date=17 January 2009 |archive-date=27 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227190526/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hYDTcqOq5ylB0eftf2S1Mk1XO3Ug |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 ==Aftermath==
-Following the capture of Kilinochchi by the SLA, the [[Colombo Stock Exchange]] recorded a rise of around 5&nbsp;percent on the news and the [[Sri Lankan rupee]] became steady.<ref name="Sri Lankan troops march into rebel headquarters">{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP417902._CH_.2400|title=Sri Lankan troops march into rebel headquarters|date=January 2, 2009|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref> A few hours after the [[President of Sri Lanka]] declared the victory, a suicide bombing was carried out outside the Air Force headquarters in [[Colombo]], in which two air force police officers and a member of the bomb-disposal unit were killed and 30 people wounded.<ref name="bomb">{{cite web|author=From  Iqbal Athas CNN |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/02/srilanka.war/index.html |title=Suicide blast in Sri Lanka as rebel stronghold falls - CNN.com |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date= |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> On 3 January 2009, at least 3 people were injured in another explosion that occurred in [[Pettah Market]], triggered under a parked vehicle.<ref name="Colombo Page">{{cite news|url=http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/January3151738RA.html|title=Minor blast in Sri Lanka capital|date=2009-01-03|publisher=Colombo Page|accessdate=2009-01-03}}</ref> On 6 January, an armed group attacked and damaged the Maharaja Television/Broadcasting Network studios of [[Capital Maharaja]] in Pannipitiya, after state owned media accused the media organization of not giving sufficient airtime to report the capture of Kilinochchi. [[Reporters Without Borders]] condemned this attack, observing that the attack seemed to have occurred because the media organization's "coverage was not patriotic enough".<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=RSF condemns MTV attack |work=Daily Mirror |page= |date=6 January 2009 |accessdate=15 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=37094 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29896 |title=Reporters sans frontières - Sri Lanka |publisher=Reporters Without Borders |date= |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref>
+Following the capture of Kilinochchi by the SLA, the [[Colombo Stock Exchange]] recorded a rise of around 5&nbsp;percent on the news and the [[Sri Lankan rupee]] became steady.<ref name="Sri Lankan troops march into rebel headquarters">{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP417902._CH_.2400 |title=Sri Lankan troops march into rebel headquarters |date=2 January 2009 |work=Reuters |access-date=2 January 2009 |first=Ranga |last=Sirilal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109132533/https://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP417902._CH_.2400 |archive-date=9 January 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A few hours after the [[President of Sri Lanka]] declared the victory, a suicide bombing was carried out outside the Air Force headquarters in [[Colombo]], in which two air force police officers and a member of the bomb-disposal unit were killed and 30 people wounded.<ref name="bomb">{{cite news |author=Athas |first=Iqbal |date=2 January 2009 |title=Suicide blast in Sri Lanka as rebel stronghold falls |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/02/srilanka.war/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107151246/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/02/srilanka.war/index.html |archive-date=7 January 2009 |access-date=8 January 2009 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> On 3 January 2009, at least 3 people were injured in another explosion that occurred in [[Pettah Market]], triggered under a parked vehicle.<ref name="Colombo Page">{{cite news |url=http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/January3151738RA.html |title=Minor blast in Sri Lanka capital |date=3 January 2009 |publisher=Colombo Page |access-date=3 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528070527/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/January3151738RA.html |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 6 January an armed group attacked and damaged the Maharaja Television/Broadcasting Network studios of Capital Maharaja in Pannipitiya, after state-owned media accused the media organization of not giving sufficient airtime to report the capture of Kilinochchi. [[Reporters Without Borders]] condemned this attack, observing that it seemed to have occurred because the media organization's "coverage was not patriotic enough".<ref>{{cite news |title=RSF condemns MTV attack |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |date=6 January 2009 |access-date=15 January 2009 |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=37094 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528015750/http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=37094 |archive-date=28 May 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29896 |title=Reporters sans frontières – Sri Lanka |publisher=Reporters Without Borders |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-date=8 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090308111438/http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29896 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-Soon after the capture of Kilinochchi, the government decided to ban the LTTE.<ref name="ban decided">{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Kamalendran |coauthors= |title=LTTE to be banned; decision next week |work=The Sunday Times |page= |date=4 January 2009 |accessdate=13 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090104/News/sundaytimesnews_01.html }}</ref> The ban was put into effect from midnight, 7 January, for "using civilians as human shields in uncleared areas and endangering their lives, despite requests by the government to release them".<ref name="ban effective">{{Cite web |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KHII-7N499X?OpenDocument |title=Govt bans LTTE |accessdate=13 January 2009 |work= |publisher=ReliefWeb |date=8 January 2009}}</ref>
+Soon after the capture of Kilinochchi, the government decided to ban the LTTE.<ref name="ban decided">{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Kamalendran |title=LTTE to be banned; decision next week |work=The Sunday Times |location=UK |date=4 January 2009 |access-date=13 January 2009 |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090104/News/sundaytimesnews_01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115004856/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090104/News/sundaytimesnews_01.html |archive-date=15 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ban was put into effect from midnight pn 7 January, for "using civilians as human shields in uncleared areas and endangering their lives, despite requests by the government to release them".<ref name="ban effective">{{Cite web |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KHII-7N499X?OpenDocument |title=Govt bans LTTE |access-date=13 January 2009 |publisher=ReliefWeb |date=8 January 2009 |archive-date=28 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528024102/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KHII-7N499X?OpenDocument |url-status=live }}</ref>
-The military continued its advance into LTTE held territory and captured the key LTTE position at [[Pallai]] within a few days.<ref name="Nadesan" /> Soon afterward on 9 January, the SLA [[Third Battle of Elephant Pass|captured]] the strategically important [[Elephant Pass]] area, which links the [[Jaffna Peninsula]] with the mainland.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Lanka regains Elephant Pass  |work=Gulf Daily News |page= |date=20 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=239847&Sn=WORL&IssueID=31296 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Army 'takes key Sri Lanka pass' |work=BBC News |page= |date=9 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7819386.stm }}</ref> The SLA is continued its offensive with the objective of capturing [[Mullaitivu]], the only remaining major stronghold of the LTTE.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |coauthors= |title=Army pressures Tamil Tiger base |work=BBC News |page= |date=13 January 2009 |accessdate=14 January 2009|quote= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7825669.stm }}</ref> Mullaitivu was also [[Battle of Mullaitivu (2009)|captured]] on 25 January.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200901251621.htm|title=Sri Lankan troops enter Mullaitivu, LTTE's last bastion |date=25 January 2009|work=The Hindu|accessdate=28 January 2009}}</ref>
+The military continued its advance into LTTE-held territory and captured the key LTTE position at [[Pallai]] within a few days.<ref name="Nadesan" /> Soon afterward on 9 January the SLA [[Third Battle of Elephant Pass|captured]] the strategically important [[Elephant Pass]] area, which links the [[Jaffna Peninsula]] with the mainland.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lanka regains Elephant Pass |work=Gulf Daily News |date=20 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=239847&Sn=WORL&IssueID=31296 |archive-date=3 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103043607/http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=239847&Sn=WORL&IssueID=31296 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Army 'takes key Sri Lanka pass' |work=BBC News |date=9 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7819386.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114210044/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7819386.stm |archive-date=14 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The SLA is continued its offensive with the objective of capturing [[Mullaitivu]], the only remaining major stronghold of the LTTE.<ref>{{cite news |title=Army pressures Tamil Tiger base |work=BBC News |date=13 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7825669.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114103638/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7825669.stm |archive-date=14 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Mullaitivu was also [[Battle of Mullaitivu (2009)|captured]] on 25 January.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200901251621.htm |title=Sri Lankan troops enter Mullaitivu, LTTE's last bastion |date=25 January 2009 |work=The Hindu |location=India |access-date=28 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129135633/http://hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200901251621.htm |archive-date=29 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
+<!--- {{multiple image
+| align = center
+| total_width = 820
+| image1 =
+| caption1 = Troops searching for hidden explosives along the main road
+| image2 =
+| caption2 = A soldier walks along a deserted earth bund
+| image3 =
+| caption3 = A moat constructed by the LTTE
+}} --->
 ==See also==
-*[[1998 Battle of Kilinochchi]]
+* [[1998 Battle of Kilinochchi]]
-*[[List of Sri Lankan Civil War battles]]
+* [[List of Sri Lankan Civil War battles]]
-==External links==
-* [http://ramansterrorismanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/10/kilinochchi-stalingrad-in-making.html Kilinochchi: A Stalingrad in the making? – Blog post by B. Raman]
 ==References==
-{{Reflist|2}}
+{{Reflist|30em}}
-{{coord missing}}
 [[Category:2008 in Sri Lanka]]
 [[Category:2009 in Sri Lanka]]
-[[Category:Battles of the Sri Lankan Civil War]]
+[[Category:2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive]]
-[[Category:Conflicts in 2008]]
+[[Category:Conflicts in 2008|Kilinochchi]]
-[[Category:Conflicts in 2009]]
+[[Category:Conflicts in 2009|Kilinochchi]]
-[[Category:Kilinochchi District]]
+[[Category:History of Kilinochchi District]]
-[[Category:Eelam War IV]]
+[[Category:Battles in 2008|Kilinochchi]]
+[[Category:Battles in 2009|Kilinochchi]]
-[[it:Battaglia di Kilinochchi]]
-[[pt:Batalha de Kilinochchi em 2008-2009]]
-[[ta:கிளிநொச்சிப் போர் (2008–2009)]]
-[[vi:Trận Kilinochchi (2008-2009)]]