Hundreds killed and wounded in Sri Lanka

More than 200 Tamil Tiger rebels and 43 soldiers have been killed in fierce fighting in northern Sri Lanka, the government said today.

Heavy fighting has ended on the Jaffna peninsula, but sporadic artillery continues to be fired across the defence line, an officer at the Media Centre for National Security said.

“Our information confirms that over 200 Tamil Tigers were killed in the fighting,” he said, adding that 43 soldiers died and around 224 were wounded.

Fighter jets pounded rebel positions yesterday, triggering fierce battles in the besieged region.

The rebels’ military spokesman, Irasiah Ilanthirayan, said last night that front-line rebel forces claimed 75 government soldiers had died along with 10 rebels.

He also claimed the rebels had captured one soldier alive.