The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Colombo

Government forces captured several bunkers from Tamil Tiger rebels as heavy fighting raged despite torrential monsoon rains in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Thursday.

Security forces battling to capture the rebels' political capital of Kilinochchi overcame resistance from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) near the village of Akkarayankulam, the ministry said.

"The counter terrorist offensive continues with the military battling through stiff LTTE resistance and inter monsoon rains," the ministry said in a statement.

"Troops claimed seizing control over several LTTE bunkers and trenches during Wednesday's fighting," the statement added.

It did not give details of casualties in the latest fighting but said troops recovered two decomposed bodies of Tiger rebels. Defence ministry maps show that troops are about 10 to 15 kilometres (six to 10 miles) southwest of Kilinochchi.

The military claims came a day after the Tigers attacked two merchant vessels off the island's northern peninsula of Jaffna using three boats packed with explosives.

Defence officials said the two merchant vessels were salvaged but it was not clear if the cargo was damaged. The Tigers said Wednesday the ships were carrying, among other things, supplies for the military.

Official sources said a pro-government Tamil political party on Thursday staged a shutdown in Jaffna to protest Wednesday's Tiger attacks against the cargo vessels.

Tens of thousands of people have died on both sides since 1972 when the LTTE launched its campaign to carve out an independent state in the Sinhalese-majority island of 20 million people.