Colombo: Atleast 36 Tamil tigers were killed in fierce clashes with the Sri Lankan army in the island nation's embattled North as suspected LTTE cadres today launched a mortar attack in a hospital in the region causing heavy damage to the building.

LTTE rebels launched a 120 mm mortar attack on the Murunkan Government Hospital, Mannar this morning, defence officials said.

The attack caused heavy damages to the hospital, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

All patients were rescued and did not suffer any injuries, an army official said, adding the attack by LTTE in the hospital could have been undertaken with an aim to seek revenge.

Army troops captured the uncleared area of Pikculam area, North of Puliyankulam in Mannar after killing eight LTTE cadres and destroying 12 LTTE bunkers yesterday, it said.

Separately, four tiger rebels were gunned down when army troops attacked the LTTE Forward Defence Lines at Manthai North in Mannar yesterday, the Defence Ministry said.

A female LTTE cadre was killed when Army troops launched an attack yesterday in Muhamalai in Jaffna, it said.

In another incident, four LTTE cadres were gunned down in Madhu area of Mannar yesterday.

Source : PTI