By IANS,
Colombo : At least 29 Tamil Tigers were killed and scores were wounded when fierce clashes broke out between the advancing troops and the rebels in the island’s north, military sources said here Tuesday.
The clashes have taken place in the eastern area of Irunapalai and Puthukkudiyiruppu in the north-eastern Mullaitivu district since Monday morning. The rebels are defending a land stretch of less than 35 square km.
“So far, 14 dead bodies of Tiger terrorists, 25 T-56 weapons, five LTTE made mortar launchers, two I-com communication sets and two remote controllers have been recovered by troops from the area,” the military said.
The infantry personnel fighting their way deep into the rebel-held areas have also captured “one kilometre long LTTE earth-bund” in the area south east of Puthukkudiyiruppu following the clashes Monday.
Meanwhile, the Army Headquarters has declared that “an estimated total of 42,855 civilians”, who had so far fled Tiger-dominated areas since March 2008, are housed in 22 different centres for displaced persons (relief villages) in northern Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna districts.
“The figure includes the displaced receiving treatment in hospitals with their by-standers outside the war-torn areas as of Monday noon,” it said.