The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Colombo

At least 27 Tamil Tiger rebels and five government soldiers have been killed in the latest clashes in northern Sri Lanka, the island's defence ministry said Monday.

The ministry said the fighting took place on Sunday around Kilinochchi, the administrative centre of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the target of the current government offensive.

There was no immediate comment from the Tamil rebels, and casualty figures cannot be independently verified as the Sri Lankan government tightly controls media access to the war-torn north.

The latest casualty figures bring to 7,466 the number of LTTE fighters the defence ministry has reported killed since January, when the government pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce. It has acknowledged the loss of 738 soldiers in the same period. Australia is considering formally declaring Sri lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers a terrorist group, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Monday, calling for a political solution to the island's civil war.

Visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he had asked Canberra to join countries such as Britain and the United States in taking the step against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"As I indicated to the foreign minister, that is currently under consideration by the Attorney-General," Smith told reporters after a meeting with Bogollagama in Canberra.

Smith said the Tamil Tigers was already effectively banned in Australia.

"For a considerable period of time the LTTE has effectively been listed under United Nations arrangements, that effects a freeze on LTTE assets in Australia and as a consequence (it is) unlawful for the use of LTTE assets in Australia," he said.

Smith said he had also raised with his counterpart Canberra's concerns over the violence in Sri Lanka and the worsening humanitarian situation.

"Australia's view remains that Sri Lanka's conflict cannot be resolved through military means alone," he said.

"All parties to the conflict must work towards a political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans."