The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Colombo

Sri Lankan troops have killed at least 34 Tamil Tiger rebels and lost three of their own in the latest reported clashes in the island's north, the defence ministry said Tuesday.

Security forces fought with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern Wanni region where they have been trying to advance into rebel-held territory for weeks, the ministry said. It said an estimated 37 guerrillas were also wounded in the clashes on Monday while security forces suffered another 11 wounded.

However, the LTTE said they beat back an army offensive on Monday, killing five soldiers and injuring seven others. The rebels did not give their own casualties.

The rebels also accused the military of firing heavy artillery and rockets into areas under their control on Sunday and Monday, despite the LTTE offer of a 10-day truce in place ahead of a South Asian meeting that began here Sunday.

Monday's fighting raises the number of rebels killed by government troops since January to 5,366, while 471 soldiers have died in combat in the same period, according to a tally of defence ministry claims.

However, the ministry blocks access for journalists to visit frontlines, making it difficult to independently verify casualty numbers.

Meanwhile, foreign secretaries of SAARC member states opened their formal talks at a tightly-guarded conference venue here ahead of a two-day summit on August 2.

The meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will draw more than 1,000 delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.