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Four rebels dead in Sri Lanka clashes
At least four Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in fresh fighting in Sri Lanka's north as ground troops advanced towards the guerrillas' political capital, the defence ministry said on Saturday.The four rebels were killed in sniper fire west of the Tigers' political base of Kilinochchi on Friday, the ministry said. It did not say whether government troops had suffered any casualties. Fighting continued in nearby Mullaittivu district on Friday, with troops inflicting "dozens of casualties" on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the ministry said. "LTTE radio transmissions have confirmed serious damages (casualties) during the confrontation," it said. The LTTE did not comment on the military casualty claims, but has vowed to push back troops advancing towards Kilinochchi, 330 kilometres north of the capital Colombo. Casualty claims cannot be independently verified as the government bars reporters and aid workers from travelling to embattled regions. Separately, the ministry said in a statement Sri Lankan air force jets bombed Tamil separatists in the island's embattled north on Saturday, a day after clashes with troops left 10 rebels dead near their de facto northern capital. Fighter jets bombed six locations to the west and northwest of Kilinochchi, the ministry said in a statement. Posted by: Fred 2008-12-14 |
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