Lankan forces kill 24 rebels in clashes across northern island

Colombo, Sept 06: At least 24 Tamil tiger rebels were

killed as heavy fighting continued to rage across Sri Lanka's

restive northern areas with government troops keeping up their

advance on the LTTE stronghold of Kilinochchi, officials said

in Colombo on Saturday.

Sri Lankan forces used MI-24 Helicopters gunships to

attack LTTE bunkers and fortified ...

Thannimuruppukulam on the outskirts of the key town of

Mullaittivu.

created by the tigers to ward off threats to their nerve

centres.

The helicopter gunships attack was in support of the

ground forces of the Lankan army's 59 division, which is

spearheading the assault on the LTTE strongholds.

As many as seven LTTE cadres were killed by troops in

four different confrontations in Palamodei North in Vavuniya

district yesterday, the Media Centre for National Security

(MCNS) said.

Another five were killed and a equal number injured in

confrontations in Andankulam in North-east Welioya yesterday,

the MCNS said.

Separately, the troops captured a LTTE bunker after

killing one tiger cadre at Kiriibbanwewa in Welioya yesterday,

the military said.

Two other tiger rebels were killed in separate

confrontations in Welioya by troops, the army said.

Troops captured an LTTE bunker, one communicative trench

line, one Tiger mortar location, two hand grenades, one

hundred and fifty T-56 ammunition and 550 MPMG ammunition

after clashes, the army said.