At least 25 government soldiers and 120 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in heavy fighting in northern Sri Lanka, a military spokesman said on Tuesday.
Security forces carried out simultaneous attacks against Tamil Tiger defences near their northern political capital of Kilinochchi and on the Jaffna peninsula, spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.
He said a further 162 government soldiers and an estimated 250 rebels were also wounded in Tuesday’s heavy fighting along several Tamil Tiger defence lines.
The pro-rebel Tamilnet.com website, however, said at least 40 government soldiers were killed and another 120 wounded in the Jaffna peninsula alone.
It said the fighting went on for nine hours, but did not give rebel casualties.
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