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| Sri Lanka |
| Sri Lankan troops capture land from rebels |
| 2008-07-25 |
| (Xinhua) -- The military in Sri Lanka said government troops captured an area of 10 square kilometers from Tamil Tiger rebels and killed 25 of them in the north of the country on Thursday. Officials from the Ministry of Defense said the troops captured the Vavunikulam Tank area in the Mullaittivu District at around 10:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT). The military also said fighting ensued between the troops and the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) Thursday morning as security forces pounded identified rebel positions with heavy artillery and mortar fire. Seven rebel bodies were recovered after the troops captured the area. The military said at least 25 rebels were killed in the clashes. Sri Lanka's government troops are currently battling the LTTE in the north with the aim of completely crushing the organization. The LTTE has been fighting against the government since the mid-1980s to establish an independent homeland for the island's minority Tamils, which led to the death of more than 70,000 people. |
| Posted by:Fred |