COLOMBO, June 15: Sri Lanka today denied Tamil rebels' claims that Pakistan jointly planned a military offensive in the north of the island and blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for ``fabricating unwarranted and diabolical falsehoods involving friendly countries''.

``By spreading such blatant allegations the LTTE thought it could hoodwink international opinion and create disharmony amongst friendly nations. It shall never succeed,'' Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said in a statement denying Pakistan or any other country's involvement in planning and execution of the operations against the Tamil militants.

The LTTE had recently alleged the involvement of Pakistan's military in the ongoing offensive by Sri Lankan Army to recapture the Jaffna highway.

The falsehood was spread as a desperate attempt on the part of the LTTE to divert the attention of the international community from the colossal losses and the defeats it suffered because of Army operations, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Army sources said the Army toll in the June 10 attack by the LTTE near northern Vavuniya has gone up to 180. Another 320 were injured in the attack.

Officials have also said so far 27 Army personnel were said to be missing and all of them were presumed to be dead.

There was no official reaction so far to the rumours that the rebels before withdrawing also took some Army men along with them.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.