Sri Lankan soldiers captured a key naval base used by the Tamil Tiger rebels in the northern part of the country, the military said Wednesday, a day after fighting in the region reportedly killed 51 rebels and a soldier.

Separately, air force helicopters destroyed two rebel boats fleeing from the fallen base, according to the military.

Soldiers overran the rebel-held coastal town of Vidattaltivu on Wednesday, taking control of an important base used by the Sea Tiger naval force, said Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman.

Nanayakkara said that the rebels carried out most of their smuggling activities and sea attacks from the base, which has a natural harbor that enabled them to hide their boats.

“Now they have been forced to leave everything behind and go north,” he said.

Meanwhile Wednesday, helicopter gunships destroyed two fleeing rebel boats at sea about 2 1/2 miles from the fallen base, while fighter jets pounded another rebel naval base elsewhere in the region, said air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara.

Nanayakkara said casualties and details of airstrikes’ damage were not available.

Military analysts said the capture of the Vidattaltivu base in Mannar district would mark an important conquest for the government.

“It’s a very significant victory. It’s the main Sea Tiger base on the northwestern coast,” said former army commander Gen. Jerry de Silva.

Still, he raised the possibility that the rebels had allowed the military to take over the base for tactical reasons.

Other analysts said the Sea Tigers have additional bases where they can offload their vast array of smuggled weapons and goods.

Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be immediately reached for comment.

Fighting in the 25-year civil war has escalated in recent months after the government vowed to destroy the rebel group by the end of the year.

Gunbattles, airstrikes and artillery attacks on rebel positions Tuesday killed 30 Tamil rebels in the Mannar area, Nanayakkara said. Elsewhere, 14 rebels and a soldier were killed in fighting in Vavuniya, while seven more rebels died in Jaffna and Welioya fronts, Nanayakkara said.

It is not possible to independently verify the military reports because journalists are banned from the conflict zone.

Both sides often exaggerate the losses inflicted on their enemy and underreport their own.

Tamil Tiger rebels have fought since 1983 to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, who have faced marginalization by successive governments controlled by majority ethnic Sinhalese.