Saturday, August 12 2006 15:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Colombo: Sri Lankan defence authorities said today (Aug 12, 2006) that several attacks by the Tamil Tiger rebels since Friday evening in the northeastern battle zones have been successfully repulsed and the situation has been brought under control.

Heavy exchanges of artillery and mortar fire took place in the northern Jaffna peninsula and the naval base of Trincomalee.

"The security forces are in total control," a spokesman for the National Security Media Center here said Saturday.

Defence officials said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels launched attacks from several points in the Jaffna peninsula from Friday evening.

The Tigers began firing shells on the peninsula's Muhamalai forward defence lines, Nagarkovil, Tanankilappu and the Kilali lagoon.

"The army retaliated with fire and the attacks subsided after several hours of continued shelling," a defence official said.

Several Tiger boats were destroyed in the Kilali lagoon as they attempted to make a landing, causing heavy casualties to the rebels.

The army dismissed as false claims in a pro-Tiger website that the rebels had carried out an air raid on the military's Palali air base in Jaffna.

Jaffna residents said the rebels' Voice of Tiger radio had advised civilians in the Jaffna suburbs of Eluthumattuval, Kodikamam and Kachchai to move into safer locations.

Sources said at least one civilian was killed and several were injured when a Tiger shell landed near the Prima flour factory in Trincomalee.

The fighting is a continuation of clashes which erupted between the two sides late July due to a decision by the rebels to shut down an irrigation sluice gate in the eastern province.

The water spat and the resultant fights have caused large-scale displacement of local people from Muttur.