From rxpgnews.com
Seven Killed in clashes between Sri Lankan troops and rebels
By DPA,
Nov 24, 2006 - 1:55:43 AM
Colombo, Nov 23 - Fresh fighting erupted Thursday between government troops and Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka that left seven people killed as security forces backed by air support counter-attacked militant positions.
Three policemen and a paramilitary guard were killed and five injured when rebels attacked them in the Nugelanda village of Ampara district, 360 km east of here.
Rebels killed three paramilitary guards and injured five others in a separate attack in the Kebithigollewa area, 280 km northeast of here.
The fresh fighting was reported after rebels reportedly made an attempt to attack army forward defences at Kirimichchi and Kadjuwatte, 280 km east of the capital, Thursday morning.
Officials said they were carrying out 'retaliatory' attacks to neutralise the rebels who fired mortars and artillery at them.
'The attempt by the Tigers - has been thwarted and heavy damage' has been inflicted on them, an army spokesman said.
Details of rebel causalities were not known immediately.
He said the rebels had moved their artillery towards the forward defences to carry out the attacks.
Meanwhile Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon is currently in Sri Lanka and is due to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the current situation in the country.
India has expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in the north and east amidst reports that some of the areas were having insufficient food supplies due to the conflict.
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