From correspondents in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 10:31 PM IST

At least 15 Tamil Tiger guerrillas were killed and several wounded as government troops seized Sunday a rebel base in Sri Lanka's north-western Mannar district after 20 long years, officials said.

According to the defence ministry, elite commandos captured Iluppaikkadavai, 12 km north of Vidattaltivu, which the military took over Wednesday along with a major Sea Tiger base.

The ministry said Illupaikkadavai was the largest LTTE base on the northwestern coast and used by the LTTE 'for other terror activities in the area during last two decades'.

And the military described the capture of Vidattaltivu, some 20 km north of Mannar town, as a 'remarkable victory'.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)