Colombo - Another town held by Tamil rebels in the northern part of Sri Lanka was captured Thursday by advancing government troops after heavy fighting, a military spokesman said.

Troops took control of Dharmapuram town, 395 kilometres north-east of the capital, on Thursday afternoon and were continuing their advance into the last stronghold district of the rebels, he said.

The capture came hours after the military took control of another runway used by the rebels in the north-eastern part of the country, the spokesman said.

He said the runway complex was 50 metres wide and 1,000 metres long and adjoined an empty hanger.

Tamil rebels have carried out nine airstrikes using two to three small aircraft in their possession. Some of the attacks were carried out in the capital Colombo.

Troops were making steady progress towards the rebel-held Mullaitivu district after the capture of Dharmapuram town.

Major parts of the coastal district of Mullaitivu have been encircled by troops and only a 40-kilometre stretch of the coastal belt remains to be captured by the security forces to deprive the rebels of a sea access route.

Rebels earlier smuggled most of their military hardware across the coastal district of Mullaitivu.

As troops advance, more civilians have been coming into military controlled areas. More than 400 civilians arrived in the government controlled Vavuniya district, 240 kilometers north of the capital, on Thursday.

Since January 1, nearly 1,900 civilians have entered government and military controlled areas after fleeing rebel controlled areas, but government officials say that an estimated 300,000 civilians still live in rebel-controlled areas. (dpa)