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Colombo: Sri Lanka's air force bombed two Tamil Tiger rebel positions in the restive north on Thursday, a day after 26 rebels and two soldiers were killed in clashes, the military said.
The casualties were the latest in the island's escalating civil war, marked by near-daily airstrikes, sea and ground battles, as well as frequent bombings. The United Nations estimates that 200 civilians have been killed in targeted bombings so far this year.
Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said an air force helicopter bombed a rebel operations centre in Mannar district early yesterday, and minutes later fighter jets pounded a training base elsewhere in the same district.
No details
He said the first attack was successful but gave no details on casualties or damages. He said there was no information available on the second airstrike.
Infantry battles on Wednesday in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya regions killed 26 rebels and two soldiers, Nanayakkara said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be immediately reached for confirmation of the military reports.
It was not possible to independently verify the reports because journalists are not allowed into the war zone. Each side often exaggerates casualties and damages inflicted on the other and underreports their own losses.
Meanwhile, the Tamil rebels claimed in a statement sent by e-mail that a teenager was killed and four other people were wounded in a government bomb attack deep inside the northern rebel territory Wednesday.
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