Sri Lankan aircraft 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, according to AP. Fighting between the two sides has escalated in recent months as the government pressed ahead with an offensive aimed at forcing the rebels out of their de facto state in the north. With fighting raging on the ground, the air force carried out at least two strikes against Tamil Tiger positions Wednesday and planned several more bombing raids throughout the day, air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said. Meanwhile, ground troops captured a runway Tuesday that was used by the so-called Air Tigers, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. It was the third runway captured in recent fighting, he said.
