Fierce clashes kill 8 rebels, 4 soldiers in Sri Lanka

Colombo, Mar 21: At least eight Tamil Tiger rebels and four Sri Lankan soldiers were killed and several more wounded during a fierce battle when a large group of LTTE cadres tried to infiltrate the army camps in the restive eastern Batticaloa district today, Defence sources here said.

''The Sri Lankan Army troops thwarted a fresh LTTE offensive involving around 300 rebels, attempting to infiltrate the forward defences in Mavadiwembu, Chenkaladi, Sittandi and Kumburumalai areas in Batticaloa, around 12.30 am (Local Time) today,'' the Defence Ministry here said.

The Defence Ministry quoting the intelligence sources said the rebels stranded in the Thoppigala after being flushed out from their former stronghold in East, had made ''a desperate attempt for a final offensive which lasted only few hours''.

''According to latest reports, eight LTTE terrorist bodies were recovered by the security forces, who are now engaged in search and clearing operations in the area. Four soldiers were killed while 14 others sustained injuries during the latest confrontation,'' Defence Ministry said, adding that the wounded soldiers were airlifted to the General hospital in Polonnaruwa.

Claiming that the military has also recovered six T-56 assault rifles, a LMG, a RPG, a Bangalore Torpedo and a large stock of ammunition during the subsequent search operation in the area, the statement said the LTTE had ''chosen the offensive as a final resort for a makeshift from the Thoppigala area which is now been surrounded by the SL security forces''.

The UNHCR said last week over 40,000 civilians have fled fierce fighting in Sri Lanka's east over the past week, pushing the estimated number of internally displaced within the affected district of Batticaloa to the mammoth 127,000.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme warned yesterday that it will run out of food stocks by the end of next month to feed tens of thousands of people fleeing fighting in eastern Sri Lanka - unless it receives more funding soon from the international donors.

''After all the suffering endured by the victims of the fighting in Sri Lanka - they should not be hurt further by a lack of international support and concern,'' the WFP said in a statement.

UNI