Sri Lanka says 69 Tiger rebels killed in fresh fighting

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

COLOMBO (AFP) — At least 69 Tiger rebels and two soldiers have been killed in heavy fighting in Sri Lanka's north where security forces wrested more territory from the guerrillas, the defence ministry said Thursday.

Clashes since Tuesday saw troops take a seven-square-kilometre (2.7-square-mile) stretch of territory from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the ministry said in a statement.

It said Mi-24 helicopter gunships were deployed Wednesday to hit LTTE positions, while ground troops kept up their advance in the coastal Mannar district.

There was no immediate word from the Tigers on the latest fighting, but the guerrillas in a statement said a civilian was killed in a mine attack carried out by government commandos inside rebel-held territory...