Sri Lankan fighter jets pound rebels......

Sri Lankan fighter jets pound rebels


SRI LANKA- Sri Lankan fighter jets bombed rebel positions along the front lines in the north Wednesday as ground forces captured a hidden runway used by the Tamil Tiger air wing, the military said.

Fighting between the two sides has escalated in recent months as the government pressed ahead with an offensive aimed at forcing the Tamil Tiger rebels out of their de facto state in the north.

With fighting raging on the ground, the air force carried out several strikes against rebel positions Wednesday, including two near Paranthan junction, the military said. Pilots planned more sorties throughout the day, air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said.more-The Associated Press