COLOMBO: A day before the expiry of the 48 hour ultimatum to the LTTE to facilitate movement of the innocent civilians from the battle zone to safer areas, the Sri Lankan government declared that it is determined to "liberate" the remaining areas under the control of the Tigers and rescue citizens from LTTE clutches.

Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told a news conference here on Friday that there was no response from the LTTE to the government deadline of 48 hours.

However, Tigers Political Head B. Nadesan termed the offer made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a measure to "deceive the international community".

The Minister said the government gave a detailed briefing to the heads of foreign missions based in Colombo on the situation especially in the context of the humanitarian crisis triggered by the ongoing war.

He quoted Army Chief Sarath Fonseka as telling the diplomatic corps that the troops were poised to take complete control of the Visuamadu in a day or two. An offensive would be launched to oust the LTTE from its last strongholds and rescue innocent civilians if the Tigers do not heed to the President’s warning.

"Once the troops have control over Visuamadu, we are confident of rescuing the civilians held hostage at gun point by the LTTE," said the Minister. He said there were an estimated 1.2 lakh civilians trapped in the battle zone.

Separately, the military said the troops in the north were making rapid progress into the remaining areas under the LTTE control and the Navy claimed that its attack boats deployed in the Mullathivu seas destroyed an LTTE suicide boat.

The Navy on Friday announced that it had deployed four blockades along the north-eastern coast to prevent arms supplies to the LTTE and escape of the cadre via sea.

At a news conference here, Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the military believed that the LTTE brass including Velupillai Prabakaran had been holed up in bunkers in the Mullathivu district. They would have little option but to surrender very soon.

The Defence Ministry said the troops were thrusting into the areas stretching from the south of Kilaly lagoon to the A-35 road (Paranthan-Mullaithivu) and were making rapid progress on their march along the west-east axis.

"Battlefield reports indicate that intense fighting had taken place in Viswamadu and Piliyampokkanal areas," it said. The Ministry claimed — on the basis of intercepted LTTE communications — that the Tigers had suffered heavy losses.

The Ministry said the troops liberated the Piliyampokkanal government hospital used by the Tigers to treat their cadre.

It said the Tigers had taken away most of the hospital items from the Government Hospital at Paranthan during their withdrawal.