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Tamil rebels say 89 soldiers killed in Sri Lanka fighting
Separatist Tamil rebels fought intense battles against government forces trying to advance on the militants' de facto capital in northern Sri Lanka, killing at least 89 soldiers, a rebel-affiliated website said on Thursday.
- AP
- Published: 11:43 December 11, 2008
Colombo: Separatist Tamil rebels fought intense battles against government forces trying to advance on the militants' de facto capital in northern Sri Lanka, killing at least 89 soldiers, a rebel-affiliated website said on Thursday.
The military disputed that death toll, saying that pitched battles in the north over the past two days had left 20 soldiers and 27 rebels dead.
The TamilNet website reported that heavy fighting took place on Wednesday around the rebel headquarters of Kilinochchi between the guerrillas fighting and government troops trying to advance into rebel-held territory.
In the worst fighting, rebels repulsed advances by soldiers on the villages of Oottuppulam and Puthumurippu, west of Kilinochchi, killing more than 60 soldiers, the website reported, citing unidentified rebel officials.
Separately, heavy clashes broke out to the south of Kilinochchi, killing an additional 29 soldiers, it said.
The statement said a dozen bodies of soldiers were recovered from the villages west of Kilinochchi along with a dozen assault rifles and ammunition.
The rebel officials did not release their casualty details.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara dismissed the TamilNet account, saying it was an attempt to gain publicity.
Separately, the defence ministry said in a statement that soldiers fought pitched battles along the southern and western borders of Kilinochchi on Wednesday, killing 27 rebels and 20 soldiers.
Rebel officials could not be contacted for comment because communication lines to the rebel-held territory have been severed.
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