23 LTTE rebels killed in Sri Lanka

At least 23 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels have been killed and eight soldiers injured in a series of clashes with the security forces in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka.

Army troops and LTTE cadres exchanged fire in an area south of Adampan in north-western Mannar district on Thursday morning in which five Tiger rebels were killed, the army said.

Hours later, soldiers confronted a group of LTTE militants at Giant Tank area in Mannar district, killing three rebels in the retaliatory attack, the defence ministry said.

Two more LTTE militants were killed when they tried to attack the security forces at Palathoppur in Eastern Trincomalee on Thursday morning.

Tiger militants taking cover behind some trees and bushes suddenly opened small arms fire on a team of soldiers who were on a foot patrol in Eastern Trincomalee, but the troops swung into action and killed two rebels and recovered one T-56 and one T-81 weapon with a filled magazine, the ministry said.

Separately, a rebel bunker line in Muhamale in Jaffna peninsula was attacked by the troops early on Thursday where one soldier sustained injuries. Intercepted Tiger transmission said six Tiger militants died in the counter-fire, the ministry said.

In another incident, seven rebels died when the army launched an artillery attack at identified LTTE targets in Vilathikulam in Mannar on Wednesday. LTTE communication intercepts confirmed that seven rebels were killed and five injured in the attack, the Media Centre for National Security said.

In the Kudurivittan area in northern Vavuniya, troops retaliated when LTTE militants fired mortars at security forces on Wednesday evening. Four soldiers were injured in the attack. In another attack, LTTE militants fired mortars at troops in the Kurunchankulam area in the district. Troops retaliated and one soldier was injured in the incident.

Early on Thursday, troops retaliated when LTTE rebels fired mortars at them in the Thampene area in Vavnuiya, the MCNS said, adding two soldiers were injured in the incident. Meanwhile, four civilians, including two women, who escaped forcible recruitment by the LTTE surrendered to the Pallaimunai Navy detachment in Mannar on Wednesday, the defence ministry said.

These residents who arrived from LTTE-dominant Kilinochchi, Vedithalathivu and Poonarine areas had revealed to the Navy that they were forced to join the LTTE to fight against the security forces.