Prabhakaran surrounded by forces: Lankan PM

Sri Lanka on Tuesday said LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran has been surrounded by security forces in the tiny swathe of land on the island's northern war zone and that there was no question of him escaping from there.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told Parliament that the security forces will ensure that the Tiger leader does not escape from there.

"According to intelligence reports, Prabhakaran is still in the 4 sq km No-Fire-Zone and the troops have surrounded him so that he cannot escape," Wickremanayake said, while responding to a question.

"He is trapped in the area… he cannot escape," he said.

The statement assumes significance as it comes close on the heels of senior defence officials saying that the elusive Prabhakaran and his top aides are still in the 4 sq km 'No Fire Zone'.

They also said they are hopeful that they will be able to target Prabhakaran and his men "without much difficulty in the coming days".

"It will be impossible for the terrorist leader (Prabhakaran) to escape in the guise of a civilian or as a patient," one of the officials said.