COLOMBO, January 18, SPA--Sri Lankan soldiers captured aTamil Tiger rebel camp and a factory in the war-ravagednorth as government forces closed in on the beleagueredrebels, pushing them into a shrinking enclave, the militarysaid Sunday, according to AP. A defense ministry statement said soldiers seized «ahighly fortified camp» in the village of Maruthampuvel inthe rebels' last stronghold of Mullaittivu on Saturday. It did not provide details of casualties, but saidsoldiers found eight bodies of rebel fighters killed infighting elsewhere in the region. The military has vowed to destroy the rebel group thisyear. Government forces in recent weeks have captured theguerrillas' de facto capital of Kilinochchi and say theyhave boxed the insurgents into a small pocket of territoryin the northeast. Also Saturday, soldiers captured a rebelboat-manufacturing factory near Maruthampuvel where troopsfound two fast attack vessels and seven small boats used byrebels for suicide attacks, the statement said. The Tamil Tigers have a naval wing that rams small vesselspacked with explosives into government naval ships insuicide attacks. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/627125