Saturday, June 17 2006 12:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Colombo: At least 20 Tamil Tiger rebels and four Sri Lankan naval troops were killed in a major sea battle off the island nation's northwestern coast today (June 17, 2006), the defence ministry said.

The Tigers in a flotilla of 11 boats attacked patrol craft of the navy off the coast of Mannar, just a short distance away from the Palk Straits marking the sea boundary dividing India and Sri Lanka.

The navy claimed it destroyed eight of the rebel boats and killed 20 Tigers while the navy lost three water jet craft together with four sailors killed and three wounded.

Today's rebel attack came after Sri Lanka's military unleashed two days of retaliatory strikes on Thursday and yesterday on rebels Tiger positions after a bus bombing killed 64 people.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have shelled the police station at Pesalai in the small Mannar islet and the security forces retaliated using artillery.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet website said at least 30 civilians were wounded but the defence ministry put the figure at between 15 and 20.

Police also reported a huge explosion, possibly at mid sea, off the coast of Negombo district which is south of Mannar.

Two men with diving equipment were arrested along the beach and they had taken cyanide, police said. The two were in a critical condition and admitted to hospital where on succumbed to injuries.