"According to reports we have received three LTTE cadres had been killed in the attack" an Army spokesman told the Daily Mirror.
The attack had been carried out around 10.30 p.m. The pro-Karuna Asia Tribune yesterday reported that rocket propelled grenades and small arms were used in the one-hour long attack against the LTTE cadres.
Meanwhile the pro-LTTE Tamil Net quoted a senior LTTE cadre as alleging that the Sri Lanka Army had helped Karuna's men to carry out the attack.
"There were 34 well armed men in the group (attackers)" the LTTEer was quoted as saying. However the Army denied any involvement in the attack.
"The fight was between LTTE cadres and Karuna's men. The Army did not have anything to do with it" the Army spokesman said.
"This is a very serious development. We are studying the matter", Tamilnet quoted LTTE Political Wing leader for Batticaloa-Ampara, Kaushalyan commenting on the attack.
Meanwhile soldiers defused a time bomb this morning which had been planted opposite a shop in Trincomalee road, Batticaloa. It had been spotted by a labourer who had come to sweep the road.
