Colombo, Jan. 3 (ANI): A day after capturing the LTTE's administrative headquarters at Kilinochchi, Sri Lankan forces are moving northwards the town of Mullaitivu.

The Sri Lankan defence ministry said that the troops were moving towards Mullaitivu to fight a battle against the rebels and recapture the northern town. LTTE rebels are known to have military facilities in Mullaitivu, the BBC reports.

Earlier, LTTE received a heavy blow on Friday after losing town of Kilinochchi.

Kilinochchi was the 'de facto capital' of the Tamil Tigers, who have been demanding a separate state for the ethnic Tamil minority.

The town had been in the hands of rebels for the last one decade and it took advancement of months for the Sri Lankan army to recapture it.

In his address to the nation to announce the capture, President Rajapaksa said, "We should pay the gratitude of the whole nation to those heroic soldiers who achieved that victory."

However, the pro-Tamil website TamilNet said troops had entered a "virtual ghost town" as the civilian population and rebels shifted further northeast.

Both sides have claimed to inflict heavy casualties on each other in the ongoing operation.

So far, no verification has been made on the exact number of casualties. (ANI)