By DPA
Colombo : Tamil rebels hurled grenades and fired a mortar on a post manned by women paramilitary guards, killing five people in northern Sri Lanka, a military spokesman said Monday.
Rebels attacked the guard post in Vavuniya, 240 km north of the capital Monday afternoon.
Three female paramilitary guards, a male guard and a civilian were killed in the attack, the spokesman said.
Earlier at least seven Tamil rebels and a soldier were killed in fighting around forward defence lines of a military controlled area in northern Sri Lanka, the military spokesman said.
The confrontation broke out in Mullikulam, Omanthai, 275 km north of the capital, Sunday evening when rebels made an attempt to enter the forward defences lines, he said.
Eight soldiers and an unspecified number of rebels were also injured in the clashes.
Sporadic clashes between Tamil rebels and security forces have continued in the northern and eastern parts of the country for the past few weeks.
Fighting in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka over the past 20 months has claimed over 5,200 lives.