1.   The naval bombardment reduced traffic on the normally busy highway to a trickle and prevented supplies from reaching the embattled south for a fifth day.

2.   The naval bombardment reduced traffic on the normally busy highway to a trickle and prevented supplies from reaching the embattled south for a fifth straight day.

3.   Heavy aerial bombardment had reduced Kilinochchi to rubble, the Tigers said.

4.   However, Chechen separatist forces have put up a fierce resistance and intense Russian aerial and artillery bombardments have reduced much of Grozny to rubble.

5.   The Tigers earlier said aerial bombardments had reduced Kilinochchi to rubble, with virtually every concrete structure damaged.

6.   The Tigers had said aerial bombardments had reduced Kilinochchi to rubble with virtually every concrete structure damaged.

7.   The Tigers had said that aerial bombardments had reduced Kilinochchi to rubble with virtually every concrete structure damaged.

8.   The LTTE said heavy aerial bombardment had reduced Kilinochchi to rubble.