New fighting between Tamil separatists and government forces across Sri Lanka's northern region killed 16 rebels and one soldier, while air force jets bombed a rebel supply base, the military said yesterday.Air force pilots confirmed they hit the Tamil Tiger logistics base Thursday, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. He did not have details of casualties or damage at the jungle base in the rebel-held Mullaitivu district. But the rebels said that bombs had instead hit civilian homes, killing a child. "One child was instantly killed and several civilian huts destroyed," the LTTE said in a statement.
In infantry clashes Wednesday, soldiers killed six rebels and wounded nine others in the northern Vavuniya district, just south of the rebels' de facto state, Nanayakkara said. One government soldier died and eight others were wounded in the fighting, he said.
Separate clashes in the northeastern Welioya region killed five rebels and wounded nine soldiers and 47 rebels, Nanayakkara said. Other fighting elsewhere in the region killed five rebels and wounded four soldiers, he said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment.