At least six Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels were shot dead by Sri Lankan security forces in two separate attacks in the island's embattled north-east, the defence ministry said on Sunday.
It said five Tiger guerrillas were killed by troops in Vavuniya, 260 km north of Colombo, while the sixth rebel was gunned down by the Special Task Force unit of police in Ampara on Saturday.
There was no immediate reaction from the Tigers.
Over 4,000 people have died since December 2005 in a new wave of fighting despite a truce which is in place since February 2002.