The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Colombo

Sri Lankan troops killed 72 Tamil Tiger rebels and eight soldiers also died in weekend fighting in the far north of the island, the military said on Sunday.

The rebels meanwhile claimed 31 soldiers and a policeman killed against three of their own dead.

The long-running civil war between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels has been escalating with near daily land, sea and air battles.

"There had been a confrontation in Mannar (district) on Saturday where our soldiers went ahead and attacked terrorists. Troops killed 60 LTTE (Tamil Tiger) terrorists and injured 51," said Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.

He said seven soldiers were killed and 27 others wounded in that fighting, while clashes elsewhere on Saturday killed 12 Tamil Tiger rebels and one government solder.

The fighting came a week after a suspected rebel suicide bomber killed the country's highways minister and 13 others attending a marathon race near the capital.

The Tigers, fighting for an independent state in the north and east, said in an email statement sent overnight that heavy fighting erupted when troops attempted to move into rebel-held areas in Mannar.

"The SLA (Sri Lanka Army) suffered at least 30 KIA and more than 75 others were injured in clashes in the west of Giant Tank," said Tamil Tiger rebel military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan, adding that three rebels were also killed.

The Tamil Tigers also said that a rebel ambush in northern Jaffna peninsula killed one solder and a confrontation in an eastern district on Thursday killed an elite police commando.

The Military denied the rebel claims.

Both the government and rebels make death toll claims that are rarely possible to verify independently.