KILLINOCHCHI, February 16: After nearly two weeks of conflicting claims, the military has finally proved that they control this key north Sri Lankan town, even though the Tamil militants are not far away.A group of 42 local and foreign journalists, donning flak jackets and helmets, were brought here yesterday even as the sound of exchange of mortar fire not far away reverberated across the deserted town.Soldiers remained on heightened alert as the journalists were conducted to the damaged hospital and the post office in the heart of the town, a former rebel bastion which the army captured in heavy fighting from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in September 1996.``If there is an explosion near you, fall flat and crawl to the nearest bunker,'' Major Tilak Dunuwila advised the journalists as shells exploded at a distance.It was the first time journalists were allowed here after the massive attack by the rebels on the defences of the town and Paranthan, five km to the north.The militaryclaimed that they killed more than 450 militants and lost over 50 soldiers in that attack. The LTTE admitted losing 150 of their fighters, but put the number of soldiers killed at over 300.The press trip here was hastily arranged after the Deputy Defence Minister was questioned at a news conference as to who really controlled the town following the February 1 offensive.``We haven't lost an inch at Killinochchi, they came to our first line of defence, but we drove them back. We are at our original lines and you can see for yourself,'' he said.Military analysts believe that the Tiger strike on Killinochchi was aimed at preventing troops stationed there from advancing northwards along the 75-km Vavuniya-Killinochchi highway.The capture of the highway is vital for the government to reopen a land route to the northern Jaffna peninsula, further north of Killinochchi.At present the government has to maintain supplies for some half a million Tamil civilians in Jaffna through the expensive sea and airtransport.Journalists were yesterday flown from Colombo to the Palali military base in Jaffna and from there to elephant pass by helicopters. They were then taken by bus to Paranthan from where they were transferred to jeeps for the journey to Killinochchi.The journalists spent about an hour in the town and saw several automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers which the soldiers said they recovered after the rebel attack on February one.
