Separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) members, fighting to save their de facto capital of Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lanka, claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on advancing government troops, killing more than 89 soldiers, media reports said.
However, the military disputed the rebel claims, saying that fierce fighting over the last two days left 27 LTTE rebels and 20 Sri Lankan soldiers dead.
"The claim of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE ) that 89 soldiers were killed in Kilinochchi is wrong. We lost 20 soldiers in the last two days during clashes in Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Olumadu (Mullaitivu)," a defense official said.
The Tigers made the claim on a rebel-affiliated website, saying they had beaten back a major Sri Lankan Army offensive to capture the town amid heavy fighting Wednesday around Kilinochchi.
In the heaviest fighting in months, the rebels claimed they had repulsed attempts by advancing troops in Olumadu and Mullaitivu, west of Kilinochchi, killing more than 60 soldiers.
Separately, intense battles raged at Ariviyal Nakar, south of Kilinochchi, where 29 soldiers were killed in the clashes, the website added. The Tigers claims to have seized four AK-LMGs, two PK-LMGs and 11 T-56 assault rifles with "large quantities" of ammunition.
Meanwhile, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, Air Force spokesperson, said Mi-24 helicopter gunships carried out two sorties--in support of the ground troops of the 57th Division advancing towards LTTE's heartland--targeting the latter's strongholds in west of Iranamadu area in Kilinochchi Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
As the battle for the control of the LTTE de facto capital continued, Army Electronic Warfare sources confirmed that heated arguments erupted between the LTTE's ground leaders over the lack of reinforcements, as troops continued their thrust on the Tigers despite stiff resistance put up by the latter.
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