Colombo  - Government troops were closing in on a Tamil rebel stronghold in northern Sri Lanka Tuesday as fighting continued elsewhere the region, military officials said.

Troops were heading toward Mallawi, 290 kilometres north-east of the capital, after taking control of the outer areas of the rebel stronghold.

Parts of Mallawi town were captured on Monday, but government troops had not yet taken complete control of the area.

A Tamil rebel administrative office was reported to have been overrun in Mallawi town.

The military said that several trunk roads used by the rebels run through the Mallawi town, making it strategically important.

The military said that the capture of Mallawi would represent a major setback to the rebels.

There was no comment from the rebels about the apparent callapse of their defences in the area.

Fighting was also reported from the northern coastal area of Nachchikudha, 320 kilometres north of the capital, but no details were available.

In a separate incident in the eastern province, a police commando and a paramilitary guard were killed in an ambush by the rebels on Tuesday.

The incident took place in Pothuvil, 360 kilometres south-east of the capital, which the government took control of after a series of military operations.

The military operations are aimed at capturing the last remaining areas held by the Tamil rebels in the north. (dpa)