Sri Lanka says captures Tiger frontline, kills 30 rebels

COLOMBO, Jan 16 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's military said today it had captured a stretch of the Tamil Tigers' forward defence line in the island's restive east and killed around 30 fighters, but the Tigers denied it.

''One soldier died and 15 were injured. More than 30 dead bodies of Tiger terrorists are lying in the area,'' a spokesman for Media Center for National Security said about the fighting in the Batticaloa region.

The Tigers said only seven of their fighters were injured, that none killed, and that they were still in control of the defence line that separates their territory from overnment-controlled land.

It was not immediately possible to independently confirm either side's claims.

REUTERS SP MIR RN1533