Sri Lankan fighter jets targeted a strategic base of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam naval wing even as 19 tigers and a solider were killed in a series of ground clashes in the northern part of the island country, the army said.
"Air Force fighter jets today hit one of the nerve centers of Sea Tiger wing at Kaivelikulam in North West of Puthukkudiyiruppu in rebel dominated Mullaitivu district," the Defence Ministry said.
According to air force sources, fighter jets carried out air sorties on Saturday afternoon targeting a covert meeting of Sea Tiger leaders and the attack was carried out on real time ground intelligence.
Fighter pilots confirmed that the target was accurately hit, the ministry said in a statement.
Six militants, including four women LTTE cadres, were killed during a clash at Periyapachchankerni in Vavuniya on Friday, the army said.
In Madhu Road in Vavuniya, at least five militants were gunned down during a confrontation yesterday, it said, adding two rebels were shot dead in the same area on Friday evening.
At Welioya in Northern Jaffna, one militant was killed and a soldier injured in a confrontation, the Media Centre for National Security said. In another confrontation in the same area on Friday, another militant was killed in clashes, the MCNS said.
At North-western Mannar, one LTTE militant was killed in Adampan area while another was gunned down in Andankulam in the area in clashes with Lankan forces on Friday, the MCNS said.
In another incident at Andankulam, two militants were killed in clashes, the defence ministry said. While one soldier was killed, another was injured in Adampan on Friday evening during attacks by the LTTE, it said.
At Chennankulam in Mannar, one soldier was injured yesterday, the MCNS said. In another incident, two soldiers were injured during a confrontation in Vilayatikulam in Mannar, it added.