By SPA
Colombo, Sri Lanka : New fighting erupted between government forces and separatist Tamil rebels along the front lines of the civil war in northern Sri Lanka, killing at least 28 guerrillas and one soldier, AP quoted the military as saying Wednesday.
Reports of fighting have increased in recent months amid government promises to capture the Tamil Tiger rebels’ de facto state in the north and to crush the group by the end of the year.
Diplomats and other observers say, however, that the army has faced more resistance than it expected.
In the latest fighting Tuesday, troops crossed into rebel-held territory in the Vavuniya district, sparking battles that killed 14 rebels, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.
Separate fighting in nearby Mannar district killed nine insurgents and one soldier, Nanayakkara said. Troops in the northwestern Welioya district killed four insurgents and another rebel was killed in the northern Jaffna peninsula, he added.