In a major success, the Sri Lankan troops today seized the strategic Elephant Pass, the gateway to the Jaffna peninsula, dislodging the Tamil Tigers from their key bastion a week after capturing the rebels' de facto capital Kilinochcci in the island nation's embattled north.

Announcing the capture of Elephant Pass in a nationally televised address, President Mahinda Rajapakse said the security forces have registered "another historic victory".

He said the Tigers have been "completely dislodged" from the Elephant Pass and the security forces established their authority there.

In a statement, the defence ministry also said that Elephant Pass "is now under the total control of security forces."

The capture of the Pass frees the entire Jaffna-Kandy A9 road from the LTTE [Images].

Sri Lankans in Colombo celebrated the seizure of the strategic pass by bursting crackers.