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LTTE bombs Sri Lankan air base, 63 rebels killed since weekend

NEW DELHI, Jan 28 (KUNA) -- The banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Monday bombed a Sri Lankan air base, even as 63 rebels and three seurity personnel have been killed in ground clashes since weekend.
In fresh clashes in North-western Mannar region today, 25 LTTE rebels and one government soldier were killed, news agency Press Trust of India reported quoting Sri Lankan Defence Ministry statement.
In clashes near Adampan in Mannar, seven LTTE cadres were killed today. Two LTTE rebels were killed at Vannakkulam at Mannar this morning, the news agency said.
The LTTE claimed to have bombed the Palaly airfield in northern Jaffna peninsula today, forcing its closure. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force combat fighters raided LTTE positions in Paranthan Northern Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said today.
In ground clashes, at least three LTTE rebels were killed in Alakallapottakulam in Vavuniya today, the Media Centre for National Security said. At Pandirichchan in Vavuniya, at least 10 rebels were killed yesterday in a clash, it said.
In seperate clashes at Vauniya, 16 LTTE rebels were killed yesterday, the news agency said.
Meanwhile, two government troopers were killed and six were injured in an explosion in Mannar last night, the Defence Ministry said. (end) dr.bs KUNA 282220 Jan 08NNNN