5,000 Tigers killed this yr, claims Lankan military
More than 5,000 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed by Sri Lanka's military since the beginning of the year, the defence ministry said yesterday.
The ministry said its latest figures showed 5,036 rebels and 446 of its own soldiers had died in fighting between the start of the year and Friday night.
Fighting between government troops and separatist Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka's embattled northern region has killed 16 rebels and a soldier, the military said Sunday.
The latest infantry clashes erupted Saturday along the front lines in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya regions bordering the rebels' de facto northern state, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.
Meanwhile, at least 16 rebels and one soldier were killed in fighting across the north on Saturday, the ministry said. The rebels did not comment on the fighting.
Sri Lankan troops have being trying since July last year to dismantle the de-facto separate state the rebels maintain in the north of the country, with fighting centred around Mannar, Jaffna, Weli Oya and Vavuniya.
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