COLOMBO, January 05, SPA--Government troops captured astrategic Tamil Tiger-held town Monday, as Sri Lankansraised flags and held a moment of silence to honor themilitary as it battles to end the country's 25-year-oldcivil war, AP reported. Government forces have won a string of stunning victoriesover the rebels in recent months, forcing them to withdrawfrom much of the de facto state they once controlled in thenorth. On Friday, troops took control of the rebels'administrative capital, Kilinochchi, dealing a harsh blowto their dreams of establishing a separate state for ethnicTamils. The rebels, as well has hundreds of thousands of civiliansdisplaced by the fighting, are now confined to a junglearea slightly larger than the city of Los Angeles. In honor of the troops, and of those slain in the war, thegovernment held flag-raising ceremonies across the countryand called for two minutes of silence, even as the militarypressed ahead with its attacks. Troops on Monday took control of the town of Oddusudan,which sits at an important crossroads leading to the rebeltown of Mullaittivu, according to military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/622954