50 killed in LTTE, army skirmishes

More than 50 combatants of the separatist LTTE and the Sri Lankan army have been killed in fierce fighting in the north of the country, reports Sutirtho Patranobis.

More than 50 combatants of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan army were killed in fierce fighting in the north of the country on Wednesday.

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While at least 47 Tamil Tigers were killed, the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) confirmed the death of seven of their soldiers. With this, the total number of casualties in the last two days has crossed the 100 mark.

Scores of more combatants have been injured.

The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS), a government-affiliated body that releases regular updates on the status of the war, claimed that at least 22 LTTE cadres and six soldiers were killed in the rebel-held Kilinochchi region alone. The Kilinochchi district, located in the far north, remains one of the last strongholds of the LTTE. The SLA has claimed that its solders are making steady progress towards capturing Kilinochchi town.

“`The LTTE forward defence line in Akkarayankulam and Terrankandal was captured by troops Tuesday,” said the MCNS update. “The terrorists have launched a counter attack to regain the lost bunker line.”

On Tuesday, the armed forces had claimed they had captured Mallavi, a “LTTE's nerve centre” Government-run websites had also printed photographs of soldiers surrounding empty buildings and bunkers, which were purportedly used by the LTTE.