COLOMBO: At least 200 soldiers and police personnel have been killed in clashes with the LTTE in the last one month, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka has said, even as fresh battles in the embattled north left 23 tiger cadres and one army man dead.

"During the last one month 200 army and police personnel were killed," the Prime Minister told the Parliament during a debate.

Meanwhile, MI-24 helicopter gunships launched simultaneous air attacks at identified LTTE resistance points 6 km Northeast of Akkarayankulma in Kilinochchi on Tuesdays afternoon, the officials said.

According to Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, the raids were made in support of the 57 Division troops.

SLAF MI-24 helicopter gunships also launched air assaults at an identified LTTE mortar launching pad located Northeast of the Vannerikkulama Tank in Kilinochchi early this morning, he said.

"The air assaults were made in support of the advancing 58 Division troops," Nanayakkara said.

In ground clashes, troops killed an LTTE cadre in Kilaly in Jaffna peninsula, while two tiger rebels were gunned down in Nawakkulam in Vavuniya, the defence ministry said.

Two other LTTE militants were killed in Puwarasankulam in the region, it added.

An LTTE stronghold with four bunkers was captured by the troops, who killed two LTTE militants and injured two others in the Kumilakulam area on Monday morning, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, at least two tiger militants were killed and 12 others wounded in various incidents Andankulam in Mullaittivu on Monday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

Troops also launched an attack on an LTTE bunker in Gajabapura in Mullaittivu, injuring four LTTE cadres and one soldier.

In another incident, an LTTE cadre was killed during a confrontation at Kidpiddikulam area and another at Alankulam area in Kilinochchi on Monday, the MCNS said.

Besides, nine LTTE militants were gunned down and five wounded after troops destroyed three rebel bunkers in the Akkarayankulam area the same day, it added.

Separately, troops killed four tiger rebels and wounded five others in Oddurattukulam area, the military said adding one tiger militant was killed in the area later in the day.

One soldier was also killed during clashes in Adampankulam area in Kilinochchi yesterday while two other were injured in the region later in the day, the MCNS said.

Source : DNA