It was 25 years ago this week that a minor insurgency in Sri Lanka began to turn into a full-scale civil war.

An attack by Tamil Tiger rebels in the north sparked rioting across the country targeting members of the Tamil minority. The events came to be known as Black July.

More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict. Now the army says victory is finally in sight.

In recent weeks the pace of the advance has quickened, but the Tigers deny they are facing defeat.