50 Sri Lankan soldiers killed by rebels -- LTTE

50 Sri Lankan soldiers killed by rebels -- LTTE
ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, DEC 31: Tamil tiger rebels killed 50 soldiers in land and sea battles in northern Sri Lanka, a rebel radio station said on Friday. The Defence Ministry confirmed the clashes, but declined to give of details of casualties.

The Voice of Tigers radio, monitored in the Government-held town of Vavuniya, said fighters from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam killed 50 soldiers and lost four men in clashes on Thursday. The radio said rebels would hand over bodies of 16 soldiers to the International Committee of the Red Cross. It said the remaining casualties were carried away by Government troops.

There was no independent confirmation of the rebel claim as neither the Government nor the rebels allow journalists into the area. Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry said soldiers escaped with injuries when two boats manned by a rebel suicide squad on Thursday rammed two Sri Lankan navy boats in the Jaffna lagoon.