Three killed in fresh clashes in Lanka's north

Colombo, Sep 24 (UNI) Fresh clashes between the government troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels in the northern Jaffna peninsula have left at least two rebels and a solider dead and few more injured today.

However, Reuters reports that more than 20 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier were killed in the clashes, the latest in a rash of confrontations amid renewed civil war.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the clashes erupted when the troops confronted a group of LTTE cadres attempting to ''breach the forward defences in Kilali'' in the Jaffna peninsula.

Two LTTE cadres were killed and two of their bunkers were also destroyed in the army retaliatory attacks, the Defence Ministry said.

''A soldier succumbed to his injuries on admission to Palali military hospital, while five other sustained minor injuries,'' the Ministry quoting army sources said.

There were no immediate comments from the LTTE in this regard.

Meanwhile, a pro-rebel website, Puthinam.com, claimed that at least one government soldier was killed and eight more wounded when the LTTE mounted a retaliatory attack against the troops at Thampanai area in the north-western Madhu region on Saturday afternoon.

However, the government has not said anything in this regard so far.

UNI