Colombo: At least nine Tamil Tigers were killed and many others injured in three separate clashes between the LTTE militants and army troops in restive northern Sri Lanka, taking the total number of rebels killed in last 24 hours to 39, the military said.

Nine LTTE militants were killed and many others wounded in three separate clashes with troops in the Thampane and Vilaththikulam areas in Vavuniya, the Army said.

According to the army, three Tiger cadres were killed in a gunbattle with troops in the Thampane area this afternoon. Separately, a LTTE mortar attack killed one soldier and wounded two others in the Vilaththikulam area, the defence ministry said.

Troops retaliated the attack and killed LTTE rebels. Another five rebels were injured in the attack, the Army said. An hour later, a LTTE attempt to mount an attack on the troops in the same area was successfully thwarted by the Army.

Counter attacks by troops killed another three LTTE rebels, the army said adding the troops didn't suffer any casualty in the clashes. At least 30 Tamil Tigers were killed in a series of clashes with Sri Lankan security forces in the island nation's northern region, hours after the deadly LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura air base yesterday that left 13 soldiers and 20 guerrillas dead.

Source : PTI