Sri Lankan security forces killed 38 Tamil Tigers and lost two soldiers in spiralling fighting with the rebels in the island’s embattled north, where the Air Force jets on Monday raided an LTTE base.

“Air Force fighter jets on Monday pounded LTTE gun positions located in the Kalmunai Point in Paranthan in Northern Sri Lanka”, the Defence Ministry said

The attack was launched in retaliation to the artillery shelling by the LTTE at the Jaffna peninsula on Monday  morning, defence sources said.

Sri Lanka Army responded to the attack with heavy artillery and multi-barrel rocket fire, the army said.
“The air raids were successful,” it said.

In ground clashes, at least three militants were killed in Alakallapottakulam in Vavuniya on Monday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

At Pandirichchan also in Vavuniya, at least 10 militants were killed on Sunday. Three militants were gunned down in a confrontation at Venkalaiheddikulem on Sunday, it said.

Two LTTE cadres were killed at Kalikullam in Vavuniya on Sunday and four militants were gunned down by the army in a clash at Vilathikulam, said the defence sources.

One militant was killed in Kokkuthoduwai area in North Eastern Welioya in Jaffna on Sunday, the MCNS said, adding  that 200 anti-personal mines were also recovered from the fleeing LTTE militants.

It said that security forces also killed two militants in Andamkulam in Eastern Batticaloa on Sunday.

In another incident, three militants were shot dead at Pallikulam. The security forces also killed six rebels in Vilathikulam.

Meanwhile, two soldiers were killed and six injured in an explosion in the Periyapandivirichchan area in North-western Mannar on Sunday evening, the army said.