This was a victory against terrorism that threatened to divide the nation, he said.  He said  the loss of Kilinochchi is  a heavy blow to the rebel group.

The town is of huge symbolic importance to the Tigers, who have assembled the trappings of a separate state they want for the ethnic Tamil minority.
President Rajapaksa paid his tribute  to the soldiers who made the victory possible adding that they made a lot of sacrifices for this victory. Troops fought their way into Kilinochchi in one of the biggest blows for the rebels in years.Sri Lanka's military has been closing in on Kilinochchi since September. Over the past month, it has been assaulting Tiger defences encircling the town and both sides have claimed to have inflicted ever higher death tolls on the other.

Troops are just two kilometres away from Elephant Pass and five kilometres away from the Mullaitivu town.
Our reporters said a number of parts of Sri Lanka  is celebarating this victory.A massive meeting has been organised by the masses at Fort , Colombo to pay their tribute to the brave soliders .
Local stocks surged at the close on Friday, buoyed by the imminent fall of the Kilinochchi headquarters of dreaded Tamil rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, brokers and analysts said.

The All Share Index rose 67.52 points or 4.49% to 1,570.54 while the Milanka closed at 46.02 points or 2.82% higher at 1,677.36. Turnover was Rs 109 million. Brokers said the shares closed on a positive note on the first trading day of the year.