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Sri Lanka's rebel leader 'killed' Sri Lanka's rebel leader 'killed'
(39 minutes later)
The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels, Velupillai Prabhakaran, has been killed, the military says. Sri Lanka's military has announced the death of feared Tamil Tiger rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
It said Prabhakaran - along with two of his top commanders - had died while trying to flee from the last rebel-held patch of jungle in the north-east. He and two of his commanders reportedly died trying to flee the last rebel-held patch of jungle in the north-east.
The military said it had crushed the Tamil Tigers' 26-year insurgency, as people around the country celebrated. An army spokesman told the BBC it had yet to identify Prabhakaran's body and Tamil media outside Sri Lanka have denied his death.
No photos of Prabhakaran's body have been released. The army says it is working to identify it among the dead. Sri Lanka's president is to formally declare the insurgency over shortly, but the country is already celebrating.
The claims cannot be verified as reporters are barred from the war zone. See a map of the conflict region Reports of Prabhakaran's fate cannot be verified as reporters are barred from the war zone. See a map of the conflict region
European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels condemned civilian casualties and called for an inquiry into alleged war crimes by both sides. European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels have condemned civilian casualties from the conflict and called for an inquiry into alleged war crimes by both sides.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office said he was planning to visit Sri Lanka, without providing any further details.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office said he was planning to visit Sri Lanka, without providing any further details.
UN humanitarian aid chief John Holmes said the priority was to evacuate all the civilians caught up in the fighting.UN humanitarian aid chief John Holmes said the priority was to evacuate all the civilians caught up in the fighting.
"Obviously, we're relieved that the fighting is finished and hope that all the civilians are indeed out of that zone, and indeed are heading towards safety, but it's hard for us to be absolutely sure about that for the moment," he said. "[We] hope that all the civilians are indeed out of that zone, and indeed are heading towards safety, but it's hard for us to be absolutely sure about that for the moment," he said.
Ambush 'Alive and well'
Over the past few weeks Sri Lankan forces routed the rebels, overrunning their territory.Over the past few weeks Sri Lankan forces routed the rebels, overrunning their territory.
The BBC's Charles Haviland, in ColomboThe BBC's Charles Haviland, in Colombo
There is jubilation in the streets as crowds cheer, light firecrackers and wave the national flag to greet the announcement from the army chief, Gen Sarath Fonseka, that "all military operations have come to a stop".There is jubilation in the streets as crowds cheer, light firecrackers and wave the national flag to greet the announcement from the army chief, Gen Sarath Fonseka, that "all military operations have come to a stop".
In the old bazaar area, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and other people told the BBC they were relieved.In the old bazaar area, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and other people told the BBC they were relieved.
For decades they had feared boarding buses or visiting temples, some said, for fear of bombs.For decades they had feared boarding buses or visiting temples, some said, for fear of bombs.
Now they hoped there would be peace with development.Now they hoped there would be peace with development.
There's still widespread humanitarian concern about civilians who may have been caught up in the fighting. Peace hopes grip Sri Lankans In pictures: Sri Lanka victoriousThere's still widespread humanitarian concern about civilians who may have been caught up in the fighting. Peace hopes grip Sri Lankans In pictures: Sri Lanka victorious
In the past few days, the LTTE had been hemmed into a 300 sq m (3,230 sq ft) patch of land - a tiny part of the 15,000 sq km territory they had controlled until recently. The Tigers, or LTTE, were eventually cornered in a tiny part of the 15,000 sq km territory they had controlled until recently.
Army chief Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka said on Monday: "Today we finished the work handed to us by the president to liberate the country from the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]." They declared a ceasefire on Sunday.
Military officials said Prabhakaran had been killed along with his intelligence chief Pottu Amman and Soosai, the head of the rebels' naval wing.Military officials said Prabhakaran had been killed along with his intelligence chief Pottu Amman and Soosai, the head of the rebels' naval wing.
They were trying to flee advancing government troops when their vehicle was ambushed, the officials said. They were trying to flee advancing government troops when their vehicle was ambushed, the officials said, adding that the rebel leader's burnt body had been recovered and that DNA tests were under way.
They added that Prabhakaran's burnt body had been recovered and that DNA tests were under way. But Tamilnet, the Tamil news service often used by the rebels to issue statements, is running a denial of Prabhakaran's death.
The government's information department sent news of Prabhakaran's death by text message to mobile phones across the country. He is "alive and well", it quoted Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the Tigers' head of international relations, as saying.
Later on Monday, the heads of the three armed services were shown on national television shaking hands with President Mahinda Rajapakse. Ethnic Tamils have demonstrated in London and Brussels in protest at Sri Lanka's actions.
No official statement was issued, but AFP news agency quoted the defence minister as saying: "We have successfully ended the war." Sri Lanka's military also reported killing three other senior rebel leaders, including Prabhakaran's eldest son Charles Anthon, and said it had killed 250 Tamil Tigers on Sunday night.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says there have been jubilant celebrations in the streets and national flags are flying off the shelves.
VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN Born November, 19541972: Founded Tamil New Tigers (TNT), forerunner of LTTEWanted in Sri Lanka and India Profile: Velupillai Prabhakaran Protest over UK role in Sri Lanka Tamils hunt for news of relatives End of the road for rebels
Earlier, at least three senior rebel leaders were killed, including Prabhakaran's eldest son, Charles Anthony, the military said.
State TV broadcast images of what it said was Charles Anthony's body.
The military said 250 Tamil Tigers had been also killed Sunday night.
Under Prabhakaran, the Tigers assassinated several Sri Lankan political leaders and the former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.Under Prabhakaran, the Tigers assassinated several Sri Lankan political leaders and the former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.
The LTTE was branded a terrorist organisation by many countries, and Prabhakaran was wanted by Interpol - the global police network - for murder, terrorism, organised crime and conspiracy. The LTTE was branded a terrorist organisation by many countries and Prabhakaran was wanted by Interpol - the global police network - for murder, terrorism, organised crime and conspiracy.
Anger and jubilation Text message
The government's information department sent news of Prabhakaran's death by text message to mobile phones across the country, prompting celebrations in the streets of the capital Colombo.
VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN Born November, 19541972: Founded Tamil New Tigers (TNT), forerunner of LTTEWanted in Sri Lanka and India Profile: Velupillai Prabhakaran Protest over UK role in Sri Lanka Tamils hunt for news of relatives End of the road for rebels
As the military announced a successful end to their operations against the rebels, President Mahinda Rajapakse was shown on TV shaking the hands of the heads of the three armed services.
National flags have been flying off the shelves, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from Colombo.
More than 1,000 Sri Lankans also protested outside the British High Commission, accusing the UK of seeking to help the rebels by earlier calling for a ceasefire.
Some protesters threw stones and burnt an effigy of UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, and a High Commission spokesman said it was "an outrage" that the Sri Lankan authorities had let the demonstration become so violent.
There is still widespread international concern about civilians who may have been caught up in the fighting.There is still widespread international concern about civilians who may have been caught up in the fighting.
In pictures: Sri Lanka's civil war EU seeks war crimes inquiry Joy and wariness
Sources in the UN say significant numbers of civilians were still in the combat zone but the Sri Lankan government said all civilians had left.Sources in the UN say significant numbers of civilians were still in the combat zone but the Sri Lankan government said all civilians had left.
Besides the celebrations in Colombo, there was a demonstration against Britain, with protestors accusing it of seeking to help the rebels by earlier calling for a ceasefire.
More than 1,000 Sri Lankans protested outside the British High Commission.
Some protesters threw stones and burnt an effigy of UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
A High Commission spokesman said it was "an outrage" that the Sri Lankan authorities let the demonstration become so violent.
The Tigers had been fighting for a separate state for Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka since the 1970s.The Tigers had been fighting for a separate state for Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka since the 1970s.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict and thousands displaced.More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict and thousands displaced.
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