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Colombo: A new wave of fighting across Sri Lanka's embattled northern region killed at least 32 ethnic Tamil rebels and four government soldiers, the military said on Wednesday.
Fighting has escalated in recent months as government forces have tried to break into the Tigers' northern strongholds from four fronts. The government has pledged to capture rebel-held territory and crush the insurgents by the end of the year.
The latest battles took place on Tuesday in the Mannar, Vavuniya, Welioya and Jaffna areas bordering the guerrillas' de facto state, according to military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.
Army troops advanced into rebel territory in Mannar district from three directions, capturing about three square kilometres in a battle that killed ten rebels and wounded five soldiers, Nanayakkara said.
Other fighting in Mannar killed three rebels and one soldier, he said.
Separate clashes in Vavuniya killed thirteen rebels and one soldier, while battles in Jaffna and Welioya killed six rebels and two soldiers, Nanayakkara said.
Also on Tuesday, air force fighters bombed a training base in the rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu while helicopter gunships pounded rebel bunkers along the frontlines in Mannar, a military statement said. The military did not give any figures for casualties or damage from the air attacks.
Clashes
Rebel spokesman Thaya Master confirmed that heavy fighting took place in Mannar on Tuesday, but did not give casualty figures. He declined to comment on other fighting, saying he needed to check the military's claims with his superiors.
It was not possible to verify the military reports independently because journalists are banned from the northern jungles where much of the fighting takes place.
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