43 killed in Sri Lanka clashes

At least 41 LTTE cadres and two civilians were killed as fierce clashes broke out between the Tiger rebels and security forces in the volatile northern Sri Lanka, official said here on wednesday. At least two LTTE cadres were killed in Sittaru in northern Sri Lanka during clashes with the army on Tuesday, officials said.

The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) denied reports that LTTE has overrun an army camp at Sittaru in Ellakantale.

Meanwhile, two civilians were killed when a claymore bomb planted by suspected rebel tigers exploded near the Vavuniya Municipal grounds on Tuesday, the MCNS said. As many as five LTTE cadres were killed in Matottam in Mannar during clashes with the security forces on Tuesday, the defence ministry said.

Separately, troops said it had killed six Tiger rebels who were travelling in a tractor in Periyamadu in North-east of Vavuniya on Tuesday.

At least seven rebels were shot dead in clashes with security forces in Palampiddy in Vavuniya on Tuesday, the ministry said. In another confrontation, the security forces gunned down seven LTTE rebels during an offensive in Alankulam in Mannar on Tuesday, the MCNS said, adding in another clash they shot dead one Tamil tiger at Palampiddi in the region Mannar on Tuesday.

Source: Hindu