By Prensa Latina,
Colombo : The Sri Lanka Defense Ministry reported that at least 56 Tamil rebels and 10 government soldiers died during fighting in the area surrounding the northern city of Kilinochchi.
The clashes occurred yesterday, a few kilometers from where the Army is trying to break several flanks in the offensive line of the Liberation Tigers for the Tamil Eelam (LTTE), according to an official report.
In the course of the struggle about 87 separatists and 40 soldiers were wounded, pointed out the dispatch.
However Tamilnet web site raised to 100 the death tall and to 250 the people injured.
According to this version rebels managed to reject a new eight-hour offensive of Sri Lankan troops.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa ruled out a cease fire with the Tamil Tigers and urged to make civilians leave the war zone and shelter themselves in the areas controlled by the government.
Rajapaksa said “2009 will be the year in which the Tamil rebels will be definitively defeated by the Army since they have been gradually weakened.”