20 killed in Army-LTTE fresh clashes in northern Sri Lanka

Colombo, Apr 11 (UNI) Twenty combatants were killed in a fresh artillery and mortar duels between the government troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels in the Northern Vavuniya district since last evening, defence sources here claimed.

The sources said the LTTE has fired volley of artillery and mortar shells on the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) at Mullikulam area in the Northern Vavuniya district last evening, killing at least one soldier and wounding four more.

''The government troops have retaliated LTTE attack using mortar and artillery guns. Technical sources monitoring the LTTE radio communication confirmed that 20 LTTE cadres have been killed in retaliatory fire,'' the sources said.

Meanwhile, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet website quoting LTTE's military spokesman, Irasiah Ilanthirayan reported that the rebels have ''repulsed a fresh ground operation by the Sri Lanka Army that attempted to move towards Paalamoddai, northwest of Vavuniya'' this morning.

''Sri Lanka Army troopers, on retreat, left behind their dead soldiers, arms and ammunition, including Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers and Light Machine Guns,'' the LTTE military spokesman has been quoted as saying, adding that three LTTE cadres were killed during the confrontation.

However, a defence official of the Ministry of Defence denied the pro-rebel media reports and said the military ''did not carry out any fresh ground offensive towards the LTTE-held areas in Vavuniya''.

UNI