Over 600 soldiers injured and over 90 killed in Sri Lanka clashes

Ninety-three soldiers were killed while 686 were injured last month in the island's war zone in the northern province in the battle against the Tamil Tiger rebels, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake told parliament here Wednesday.

The Prime Minister said that 38 civilians had also been killed in the clashes.

Sri Lanka's military is currently engaging the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in three separate fronts in the north and north eastern regions.

The campaign is part of the government's thrust towards the rebel-held Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu districts, their last holds in the north and east region where they want to set up a separate homeland for the Tamil minority.

The government's military offensive in the island's east ended up with last July's clearing of the entire province from the LTTE rebels. The LTTE called it a tactical withdrawal.

The clashes have escalated despite pleas on both sides from the international community to resume the process of Norway backed direct negotiations.

More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict since the mid1980s.

Source: xinhuanet