By Prensa Latina
Colombo : The Sri Lanka army announced on Tuesday that 501 members of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Tigers (TLTE) and 54 government soldiers died during a 20-day battle in the northern region of the country.
Army spokesman, general Udaya Nanayakkara affirmed in a press conference in Colombo that an indefinite number of rebels and 223 soldiers were also wounded during clashes between March 5 and 24.
Military operations continue in Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna districts in Muhamalai area, said Nanayakkara.
According to the top ranking official Sri Lankan security forces also occupied 19 square miles in the southern territory of A14 road inMannar.
Nanayakkara declared that since early in January 115 bodies of TLTE members have been delivered and 11 others to the International Red Cross.
Over 75,000 people, among civilians, soldiers and rebels have died during these 25 years of fighting.