15 LTTE men killed

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, APRIL 14. Fifteen Tamil guerillas and six Government troops were reported killed in continuing clashes in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The island's Navy reported the capture of an LTTE logistics craft, while five soldiers were killed in an LTTE pressure mine-blast this morning.

The mine attack near a Sinhala-majority village in the Vavuniya district claimed the lives of four soldiers who had been rushed to the Awarantalawa village where the Tigers had killed a Home Guard earlier in the day. The Defence Ministry said 14 soldiers were also injured in the mine attack at 12-40 p.m. south west of Vavuniya. According to sources, the ploy by the LTTE in today's operation - of killing a Home Guard to draw troops to the area and subsequently attacking the troops - was a known tactic of the separatist group. In another claymore explosion in the eastern Batticaloa district today, six persons were injured.

In the continuing offensive in the northern Sri Lanka, 15 rebels and a soldier were killed in fighting near Kattiratan, Thanankilappu and Veddhakadu East on Thursday. Rebels and government troops continued their battles with the rebels firing mortars at troops manning defences in the area where the latest offensive has been continuing since March 27, when the Tigers commenced their offensive in the peninsula.

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Section  : International
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