Lankan military's death toll rises as LTTE hands over 74 bodies

Colombo, Oct 12 (UNI) Death toll of the Sri Lankan army climbed to 129 today with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitating the transfer of 74 dead bodies of the Sri Lankan soldiers killed in the fierce battle in Jaffna yesterday, from the Tamil Tigers to the army late today.

The ICRC in a statement said that it offered its willingness for this ''humanitarian service'' after the LTTE approached it sub-delegation in the rebel-held Kilinochchi to hand over dead bodies of the Sri Lankan soldiers.

''With the SLSF's consent, the ICRC used four trucks and one landcruiser for the operation. The handover took place today at 8.00 p.m. local time at Omanthai checkpoint on the A9 road,'' the ICRC statement said tonight, adding that it had also visited one wounded soldier in the LTTE custody in the rebel-held Kilinochchi town.

Amidst claims and counter claims, the military confirmed this evening that ''55 army personnel sacrificed their lives whilst 78 Army personnel were reported missing'' after six-hour long fighting yesterday.

Placing the LTTE's death toll over 200, the military also said that 283 soldiers were wounded during the LTTE offensive at the FDLs at Muhamalai area, the de-facto northern border that demarcates the territory held by the government and the LTTE in the Northern Jaffna peninsula.

The LTTE, however, has said that it has lost 22 cadres in the battle.

The toll of 129 is the worst the army has suffered in one day since the ceasefire came into operation since February 2002.

The military sources in Colombo said that northern battlefront was ''relatively calm'' today, except for the LTTE's ''intermittent artillery and mortar attacks'' on the army's Muhamalai and Kilali FDLs.

''At the same time Air Force Kfir jets Thursday morning without taking any further chances pounded several terrorist targets in Palai area, south of Muhamalai, from where terrorists continuously used to launch artillery and mortar attacks on the troops after hiding in prepared positions and elsewhere,'' the military sources here said.

Although the fresh clashes and the resulting death toll have posed a major set back to the Norwegian-brokered peace process, the Sri Lankan government said that its plan to try ahead with the proposed direct talks with the Tamil Tigers remains unchanged.

''There is no change of plans. The decision to hold direct talks on October 28 and 29 remains unchanged,'' Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told reporters here today, referring to the heavy fighting in the North.

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