Sri Lanka rebels say army attack kills 5, hurts 18

COLOMBO, Aug 9 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said today the military killed five civilians and injured another 18 in an attack on their territory in the east, as the worst fighting since a 2002 truce continued through a 15th day.

''They were killed by a multi-barrel rocket attack this evening,'' S Puleedevan, head of the Tigers' peace secretariat, said by telephone from the northern rebel base of Kilinochchi.

''We have also been bombarded by Kfir fighter jets (in the east).'' ''This is really putting the ceasefire in danger.'' The military confirmed that sporadic fighting continued.

The attack comes after the Tigers ended a blockade on water supplies to farmers in government territory in the east late yesterday -- the trigger for the fighting in the first place.

REUTERS MQA RN2301