More than 24 soldiers killed by Tamil separatists

Colombo: More than two dozen soldiers have been killed by Tamil separatists in heavy fighting in northern Sri Lanka, the separatists said while denying government reports that their own fighters suffered heavy casualties.

The contradictory versions highlight the trouble in getting independent information on the fighting deep in the jungles of the north, where the government strongly restricts access.

On Wednesday, the military announced that an additional five rebel fighters were killed in fierce fighting the day before, bringing their death toll for Tuesday's fighting to 37 rebels and five soldiers.