Sri Lankan government forces have killed 16 Tamil Tigers and lost three of their own troops in the latest clashes across the north of the island, the defence ministry said yesterday.
The fighting on Tuesday also saw government jets raid the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) northern capital of Kilinochchi, the objective of the current offensive.
There was no comment from the LTTE, although the pro-rebel Tamilnet website reported the rebels set off a roadside mine in the eastern town of Batticaloa on Tuesday, killing two government soldiers.
The Sri Lankan government pulled out of a ceasefire with the rebels in January, and is currently trying to dismantle their northern mini-state.
"Aerial bombardments, shelling, and small arms fire, in areas close to Kilinochchi town continue to be reported as the military campaign has intensified," the UN's Inter-Agency Standing Committee said in a statement.