FRESH BATTLES KILL 12

By Walter Jayawardhana

FRESH BATTLES IN BATTICALOA KILL AT LEAST 12

Fresh fighting in the Eastern Province between Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government troops killed at least eight Tamil Tigers and four government troops.

Fierce fighting erupted when about 300 rebels attempted to infiltrate the forward defense lines at Chenkaladi, Sittankudi in kamburumulla areas in the Batticaloa District, March 21, the Sri Lanka Army said.

The rebels were backed by heavy mortar fireand the security forces retaliated with the same, the army said. The army said the Tamil Tigers were the ones who are stranded in Thoppigala jungles and they were attempting at a desperate final offensive that lasted only few hours.

Thoppigala area is being surrounded by government troops now. The Army said since they were running short of food and water in the jungle now they had performed a desperate act to escape from a tight corner.

Intercepted radio messages to Wanni has requested reinforcement. Four Sri lanka Army soldiers were killed in the clashes while 11 soldiers were wounded. The Army said in search operations they could find only eight bodies of Tamil Tigers cadres but more are suspected to have died. A search operation was still on at the time this was filed.