According to a military spokesman, the fierce fighting broke out in Muhamalai, 390 km north of the capital, after Tamil rebels made an attempt to breach the army’s forward defence lines. But Tamil rebels claimed that the Sri Lankan military also suffered heavy casualties in the battle which erupted when they resisted an attempt by government troops to enter the rebel-controlled area.

The government military spokesman said that the troops had overrun rebel defence lines and 30 soldiers were injured in the confrontation. There was no independent confirmation of the clashes which took place close to the former entry point that connects the northern Jaffna peninsula to the rest of the country. While the military controls the southern end of the peninsula, the rebels are in control of the areas further south. The two sides are divided by a no-man’s-land which extends about two kilometers.

The road passing through Muhamalai has remained closed due to sporadic clashes for the last 15 months, forcing civilians living in the northern Jaffna peninsula to use the limited air passage or a circuitous sea route.