Sri Lanka kills 21 Tamil Tiger rebels in fighting

Colombo, Apr 25: Sri Lankan troops killed at least 21 TamilTiger rebels in a string of gunfights and mortar duels in the north ofthe island today, a military spokesman said.

Two government troops were killed in the fighting that erupted inthe districts of Mannar and Vavuniya, and dozens were wounded on bothsides, the military said.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), fighting forindependence in the north and east of the island, could not be reachedfor a comment.

Government forces attacked Tiger mortar and gun positions that hadbeen intensified fire on forward lines in recent days, said LieutenantColonel Upali Rajapakse, of the national security media centre.

''The Tigers got 15 killed in one place. At another place, fivewere killed, and at another one was killed,'' he said, adding themilitary had gleaned the figures from rebel radio communications. Some26 were injured, he said.

On the government side, two soldiers were killed in the fighting and 12-15 were injured, he said.

Since 1983 the war in Sri Lanka has killed some 68,000 people,including more than 4,000 in the past 16 months. The intensifiedviolence has left a 2002 ceasefire in tatters.

Reuters

Related Stories

LTTE bombs Palaly air base, military denies
News In Focus: Sri Lanka Crisis>