Military fight Tamil Tigers for territory

The Sri Lankan military, backed by tanks and war planes, battled Tamil Tiger rebels for over three hours today for control of territory in the east, a military spokesman said, a further escalation of violence in the country’s undeclared civil war.

At least seven government soldiers were wounded in the fight in eastern Batticaloa district, military spokesman, Maj Upali Rajapakse, said, adding rebel casualties were estimated in the “dozens".