Alex Thomson

There were celebrations in Colombo after government sources proclaimed a breakthrough in the country's bitter civil war - it had taken the northern city of Kilinochchi, one of the last major places held by Tamil Tiger rebels. But within minutes of the president announcing the victory in Kilinochchi, a suicide bomber in the capital struck back, killing three airmen outside the air force headquarters. The Tigers have already been pushed out of their northern stronghold of Jaffna. The area around Mullaitivu is the only remaining land held by them.