Seven dead as rebel groups clash in Sri Lanka

Fierce fighting between Tamil Tiger rebels and a breakaway faction of the guerrillas in eastern Sri Lanka has left at least seven people dead, military officials said today.

About a dozen members of the breakaway group launched rocket-propelled grenades and opened fire near a rebel defence line yesterday near Batticaloa, 140 miles east of Colombo, senior military officials said.

The bodies of six members of the mainstream rebel group were later recovered by the Tigers, said the military officials. At least 10 rebels are usually stationed at the defence line post.

Two female civilians suffered shrapnel injuries and one subsequently died of her wounds, hospital officials said.

The Tigers made no immediate comment about the incident.

There has been sporadic fighting, mainly in Batticaloa, since a former top rebel commander in the area led an unprecedented split in March, taking with him some 6,000 fighters.

The renegades were crushed a month later by the mainstream Tigers, and the breakaway leader went underground. However, the fighting has continued. Last week, the Tigers killed the second in command of the renegade faction.

The violence has put an increasing strain on the 28-month ceasefire between the Tigers and the government.

The Tigers accuse the Sri Lankan military of supporting the breakaway faction and say this could derail the truce. The government denies the allegation.

European ceasefire monitors travelled to the rebel-held area today to investigate the latest violence.

Norwegian peace brokers have said the violence is the biggest obstacle to resuming stalled peace talks between the government and the Tigers aimed at negotiating a permanent end to the two-decade civil war.

Nearly 65,000 people were killed before the 2002 ceasefire.