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| Sri Lanka |
| Sri Lanka: Fierce clashes claim more victims in troubled north |
| 2008-09-19 |
| (AKI) - Sri Lanka's military claimed on Thursday it was moving closer to the strongholds of the separatist Tamil Tigers in the north of the country, after fierce clashes left more than 83 dead. The Defence Ministry said the main battles occurred near Kilinochchi where at least 40 rebels and 10 soldiers were killed. Fighter jets conducted successive air raids targeting separatist strongholds in the Kilinochchi area on Thursday in support of government troops on the ground. "Confident troops bravely resisted and directed hard blows on the enemy and chased them away," the ministry said in a statement. According to the defence sources, a fierce gun battle was reported between security forces and LTTE terrorists in the area of Vannerikulam. The LTTE did not comment on the government's claims. But a Tamil website said on Thursday that the Sri Lanka Army had triggered a landmine that had killed at least three civilians when a passenger bus exploded in Kilinochchi. |
| Posted by:Fred |