LOC18:35
15:35 GMT
NEW DELHI, Feb 22 (KUNA) -- At least 43 cadres of the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and two government soldiers have been killed in fresh
clashes in the Northern Sri Lanka as air force jets bombed a rebel stronghold.
"Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets attacked an inland sea Tiger base this
morning at Kiranchchi, west of Kilinochchi," Sri Lankas Media Centre for
National Security (MCNS) said Friday in a statement at Colombo.
At least five LTTE rebels were killed in two separate clashes in
North-Western Mannar yesterday, a Sri Lankan Defence Ministry statement said
today in Colombo.
Three more LTTE rebels were killed in Parappakandal area also yesterday,
news agency Press Trust of India said.
Also, nine LTTE rebels were killed in west Mullikulam area of Vavuniya
yesterday, the Defence Ministry said.
At the Northeastern Welioya, six LTTE cadres were killed yesterday, the
statement said.
In Karampaikulam area of Mannar, four LTTE rebels and two troopers were
killed yesterday.
In Udayanathankulam in Vavuniya, troopers killed two more rebels yesterday,
the army said. Five LTTE rebels lost their lives at Periyapantrichurichchan in
Northern Vavuniya, the Defence Ministry said.
In Vavuniya's Mullikulam area yesterday, troops gunned down three more
rebels. In Mannar, three LTTE cadres were killed, the Defence Ministry said.
At Adampan and Kokkuthuduvai in Welioya, three LTTE rebels were killed
yesterday, the MCNS said. (end)
dr.tg
KUNA 221835 Feb 08NNNN