14 killed in Lanka clashes

At least 14 Tamil Tigers have been gunned down by security forces in a series of clashes in Sri Lanka's embattled north, where the Army captured a portion of the rebel-held Thampane area.

Ten LTTE rebels, including two regional leaders of the outfit, were killed yesterday in confrontations with the troops at Kandaperumakulama, Pokkaravani and Navatkulama areas in Vavunia, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

In Mannar region, security forces attacked a bunker manned by the LTTE in the south of Adampan area, killing two guerrillas on Monday.

In another incident, troops destroyed two bunkers in Kilaly and Nagarkovil in Jaffna, killing two LTTE cadres, the Defence Ministry said.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet website, meanwhile, claimed that one Sri Lankan army personnel was killed and 28 troops injured in three separate clashes in Mannar on Sunday. "According to reports received from Mannar operations commanders of LTTE, no casualties among LTTE cadres were reported," it said.

The Defence Ministry also said that Army has taken control of a portion of rebel-held Thampane in Vavuniya-Mannar sector in northern Sri Lanka.

"We on Monday night moved in about one km inside Thampane and one of the camps which was taken control of could accommodate 300 LTTE militants," a ministry spokesman said.

In two other areas of Thampane, the troops moved in about 300 metres and 500 metres respectively, the spokesman said, adding this was the fourth major success for Army during the last few days.

Last week, the Army said it had captured a key LTTE post named 'Vitenam Base', hours after taking control of two defence lines in the region.

The capture of the Uyilanakulam entry-exit point of the LTTE and a major rebel base south of Periyathampanai in the region took place on Saturday.

This would facilitate the security forces in dealing with Tiger threats from Mannar and Vavuniya sectors and to clear the path to Wanni, the spokesman said.