COLOMBO: The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers is alive but totally surrounded by government troops in a small jungle area, a military spokesman said Monday.

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said a major military operation was underway to get Velupillai Prabhakaran, 54, whose son was killed by Special Forces commandos on Monday, along with several key aides.

"He is there and we have surrounded him -- it is a 360-degree cordon and he has no escape," Nanayakkara said.