"This mission was undertaken to reduce the air capability of the Sri Lankan airforce," Ilanthiriyan said. "We will undertake similar missions to prevent the airforce bombing civilians."

Sri Lanka's military admitted that the Tigers had used their aircraft for the first time and bombed the airbase, where two people were killed and another 17 wounded. Two parked helicopters were also damaged.

"One of the LTTE aircraft had flown over the airbase and dropped some explosive items," airforce spokesman Ajantha Silva said, adding that damage to the military facility was "minor."

He said air defence systems were activated following the initial explosion.

"Our air defence system was activated and a search operation is now under way," Silva told AFP.

He said the Bandaranaike international airport, which shares a boundary with the airbase, was not affected by the pre-dawn attack. However, the airport was shut as a precautionary measure.

Sri Lanka's foreign ministry spokesman Ravinatha Aryasinha said the airport was not affected by the bombing and it would soon reopen.

"There is no damage to the international airport or the runway," Aryasinha said. "Flights were suspended only as a precautionary measure. The airport will reopen soon."

At least four explosions were heard from the Katunayake airbase, local residents said. Passengers aboard flights ready to take off from the international airport were asked to disembark as the airport was shut and supersonic military jets took off to search for enemy planes, officials said.

Roads leading to the airport were closed and people trying to catch flights out of the country were turned back by police, residents said. Telephone lines to the airport were also jammed.

Motorists and residents said they heard gunfire and several blasts near the international airport, about 35 kilometres (21 miles) north of here, sparking fears of a repeat of the July 2001 attack.

Tamil Tiger rebels entered the airbase on July 24, 2001 and destroyed more than a dozen military aircraft and then attacked six civilian aircraft parked at the civilian airport before detonating explosives strapped to their bodies.

About 20 people were killed in that attack but passengers at the international airport were not affected.

Sri Lanka's airport has remained on alert for a repeat of the 2001 attack, with severe restrictions on the number of people allowed into the terminal buildings.

Huge walls were also built around the terminals and the control towers to prevent impact from car bomb attacks, while a large number of sentries were placed along the approach roads to the facility.

Updated 04.11

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