LTTE chief Prabhakaran dead, claims Lankan army

New Delhi, May 17 (ANI): Sources in the Sri Lankan army have claimed that Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief V Prabhakaran has been killed.

According to a news channel report, Prabhakaran body has been recovered and is being taken to an army camp in Colombo.

Sources also added that army has recovered over 150 bodies of LTTE cadres.

According to reports all civilians held hostage by the LTTE have now been freed from the battle zone.

The report comes as Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced his military's victory over the LTTE.

"I am proud to announce... that my government with the total commitment of our armed forces, has in an unprecedented humanitarian operation, finally defeated the LTTE militarily," he said.

Moreover, 70 rebels were killed in a confrontation with troops early Sunday morning.

Troops confronted the LTTE fighters, who tried to escape from the Nandikadal lagoon in the north east part of the country, killing 70 Tiger rebels.

Six LTTE boats were also destroyed in the operation and the bodies of those killed were subsequently found.

As many as 24,988 Tamil civilians have crossed over from the LTTE areas to the governments controlled ones since May 14 and are camping in welfare camps, the Army said. (ANI)