RFI - Security forces clash, capture LTTE separatists

Security forces clash, capture LTTE separatists

Article published on the 2008-04-14 Latest update 2008-04-15 11:21 TU

Sri Lankan military fires on Tamil Tigers
(Photo: AFP)

As the rest of the country celebrated the traditional new year, Sri Lankan government troops broke into Tamil separatist bunkers in the north of the country. The Defence Ministry claims that killing at least five rebels were killed.

Government troops captured eight bunkers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Jaffna Peninsula Sunday. Some 16 rebels were also wounded in the clashes, while the military reported one of their own troops killed and one wounded .

The Defence Ministry claims that at least 92 guerillas had been killed since Saturday. The LTTE dispute these figures, however, issuing a statement Saturday night that they lost three fighters but had killed 25 government soliders.

Tens of thousands of people have died since 1972 when the Tamil Tigers launched their armed struggle to create an independent country.