The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Colombo

Sporadic clashes left at least 13 Tamil Tiger guerrillas and two Sri Lankan government soldiers dead around rebel-held territory in the north, the defence ministry said Wednesday.

Security forces killed nine members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the Vavuniya region, just outside the rebel-held Wanni, while the other four rebels were killed elsewhere in the region on Tuesday, the ministry said. Two government soldiers died while another four were wounded in the fighting, the ministry added.