Colombo,: Fierce clashes between LTTE militants and troops across the embattled northern Sri Lanka killed at least 19 rebels and one soldier, officials said on Monday.
At least two Tamil Tiger rebels were gunned down and three injured in Koddaikulam and Nedunkandal general areas of north-western Mannar on Sunday, the Defence Ministry said.
The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said while one LTTE militant was killed in Vedamkulam, four others were shot dead in Periyamadu in Vavuniya yesterday. At least four rebels were killed in Mundimurippu area in Vavuniya on Sunday, one soldier was reportedly wounded in Kalavirumadu area in the region on the same day, it said.
Troops gunned down one LTTE cadre in Palamodai in Vavuniya during clashes on Sunday, the army said, adding one soldier laid down his life during the incident.
Separately two LTTE militants were killed in Nagarkovil in Jaffna on Sunday morning, the MCNS said. On the same day, troops shot dead one LTTE militant in Muhamalai in Jaffna peninsula, the military said.
In another confrontation, army troops killed two rebels and injured 8 others in two separate incidents Parappakandal North and Nedunkandal in Mannar on Sunday, the officials said.
As many as two LTTE rebels were killed in various incidents in north-east Welioya on Sunday, the army said. The military and the LTTE are known to play down their own losses.
Fighting, which has escalated in the past two years, further flared after the government in January pulled out of the 2002 ceasefire pact with the rebels.
The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for the minority ethnic Tamils, alleging marginalisation of the community for decades by governments dominated by the Sinhalese. At least 70,000 people have been killed in the civil war in the island nation.
Comments
0 comment