Sri Lankan air force jets plundered bombs into at least six locations in the territory controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels in the island's embattled north Saturday, a day after clashes with troops left 10 rebels dead near their de facto northern capital -- Kilinochchi, the government said.
Fighter jets bombed six locations to the west and northwest of the Tamil Tiger rebel headquarters in Kilinochchi, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Casulaty details were, however, not made available.
Government forces are fighting what they call a decisive war against the rebels on the edge of Kilinochchi for weeks. Though troops have seized large swaths of rebel-held territory in recent months, rebel fighters guarding Kilinochchi continue to hold out despite heavy casualties.
In the latest ground fighting, snipers killed four rebels west of Kilinochchi on Friday, the Defense Ministry said. Artillery strikes in the same area left another six insurgents dead, it said.
Rebel officials could not be contacted for comment because communication lines to guerrilla territory have been severed. Independent verification of government statements is virtually impossible as Sri Lanka bans journalists from entering the battle zone.
The ethnic Tamil rebels have been fighting for the formation of an independent homeland since 1983. Over 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.
Fighter jets bombed six locations to the west and northwest of the Tamil Tiger rebel headquarters in Kilinochchi, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Casulaty details were, however, not made available.
Government forces are fighting what they call a decisive war against the rebels on the edge of Kilinochchi for weeks. Though troops have seized large swaths of rebel-held territory in recent months, rebel fighters guarding Kilinochchi continue to hold out despite heavy casualties.
In the latest ground fighting, snipers killed four rebels west of Kilinochchi on Friday, the Defense Ministry said. Artillery strikes in the same area left another six insurgents dead, it said.
Rebel officials could not be contacted for comment because communication lines to guerrilla territory have been severed. Independent verification of government statements is virtually impossible as Sri Lanka bans journalists from entering the battle zone.
The ethnic Tamil rebels have been fighting for the formation of an independent homeland since 1983. Over 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.
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