60 killed in fresh fighting in Lanka

At least 56 LTTE militants and four Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in fierce...

At least 56 LTTE militants and four Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in fierce clashes in the island nation’s embattled north as the security forces captured a strategic one sq km area in the north-western Mannar, the army said on Friday.

The military said they had captured rebel positions in the north-western district of Mannar on Friday.

The clashes occurred along a “border” that separates government and rebel territory.

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The government is trying to drive the rebels from their northern stronghold and bring an end to a 25-year civil war.

But analysts say neither side is winning as the rebels repeatedly hit back with suicide and roadside bombings and air attacks.

“A one kilometre stretch of LTTE positions were captured by the troops this morning. The confrontation killed 12 LTTE terrorists, while two soldiers died and five were wounded,” said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The military said fighting on Thursday killed 30 Tiger rebels and wounded 24 others in the northern districts of Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar and the north-eastern district of Trincomalee. One soldier was killed and eight were wounded from the fighting.