Sri Lanka holds provincial polls amid military push
Updated
Sri Lanka is holding provincial elections amid high security with 25 thousand police deployed to guard polling booths in two provinces voting to elect the highest level of local government.
Both provinces going to the polls are not directly affected by fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels, but the government has turned the vote into a referendum on its military strategy.
On the eve of voting, the defence ministry announced troops captured two strategic towns as they closed in on the rebels' political capital of Kilinochchi in the island's north.
The Tigers have tacitly admitted that troops are advancing on them, but have not commented on details of the latest battles.
