Colombo:
At least 18 LTTE rebels and six soldiers were killed in fierce clashes in the embattled northern Sri Lanka as fighter jets targeted two LTTE camps in the rebel stronghold, officials said on Thursday.
Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets undertook two successful bombing missions targeting two well identified camps of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, located in Wanni region this morning, the Defence Ministry said.
According to the defence sources, the attack was aimed at a training facility and a radar location, both located in Kilinochchi district.
In ground clashes, two rebels were killed in Madhu in Mannar on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, as many as four army personnel lost their lives yesterday in various clashes at Sulanamarathuamadu, Adampan and Koilmoddai in Mannar and Vavuniya regions, the army said.
While two tigers were killed in Kiribbanwewa in North-east Welioya, two soldiers also lost their lives in the confrontation on Wednesday, the army said.
In another round of fierce battles that erupted in north of Janakapura yesterday, troops captured an LTTE strong point and recovered one decomposed body of a LTTE cadre.
In yet another confrontation in the same area later in the day yesterday, troops killed three LTTE cadres, the army said.
In separate incidents, troops killed two rebels in an encounter in Janakapura and shot dead seven more in another incident in the area later on Wednesday, it said.
One LTTE cadre was killed in clashes in Muhamalai, the Media Centre for National Security said.