Sri Lanka renegade group says kills 30 Tiger rebels

COLOMBO, Dec 30 (Reuters) A breakaway faction of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers said it overran three rebel camps in the east today, killing at least 30 rebels in one of the biggest attacks in months, but the Tigers denied heavy losses.

About 200 members of the renegade group, which is led by former Tiger eastern commander Karuna Amman, attacked the camps in the jungles of Toppigala about 40 km (25 miles) from the town of Batticaloa.

''Our intelligence reports said there were top LTTE commanders there, 30 cadres were killed on the spot,'' said Asad Maulana, a spokesman for the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, the political wing of the Karuna faction.

Two members of Karuna's group were wounded in the 90-minute attack, he said. The three camps, including one for women fighters, were destroyed and a large quantity of ammunition including two rocket launchers was found.

But the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said only four of its cadres were wounded in the attack which it said was carried out with the support of the Sri Lankan military firing mortar bombs.

''They came to attack our camps around midnight and tried to infiltrate, but we counter-attacked,'' LTTE defence spokesman Rasaiya Ilannthirayan told Reuters.

''They dispersed in the jungles along with a SLA (Sri Lankan army) group which was working in the background.'' He said the body of one member of the Karuna group was found in the jungle while another was captured alive.

''They had dreamed they would kill our leaders, they had dreamed 30 of our cadres would be killed, but it did not happen,'' the spokesman said.

Independent verification of the fighting in the remote area is not possible, and the military, the Tigers and the Karuna group are known to exaggerate rival casualties while playing down their own losses.

There was no immediate comment from the military which denies any involvement with the Karuna group.

Karuna split from the Tigers in early 2004, taking an estimated 6,000 loyal fighters with him. He accused the LTTE's leadership of discriminating against Tamils in the east -- his traditional stronghold.

''Our main aim is to protect the Tamil people from the LTTE,'' said Maulana.

The attack comes at a time when fighting between the LTTE, which wants a separate homeland for Tamils in the north and east, and the military has intensified.

More than 3,000 people have been killed this year in suicide bombings, clashes and air and naval raids.

International monitors say a 2002 ceasefire now exists only on paper.

REUTERS AKJ DS1432