Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 10, 2007

Sri Lanka's Military: 23 Tamil Rebels, One Soldier Killed in Clashes
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A34331:A6F02AD83191E16008D2A169FE617EB1C030207A0BD70133 Officials say the
fighting took place Friday in the districts of Vavuniya and Mannar Sri
Lanka's military says 23 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier have been
killed in separate gunbattles in the island's north.

Officials say the fighting took place Friday in the districts of
Vavuniya and Mannar.

The military's claim could not be independently verified.

There has been no immediate comment from the rebel group, the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Earlier this week, the two sides fought a major battle in the northern
Jaffna Peninsula, where the military said 52 rebels and 11 soldiers
were killed.



Fighting between the government and rebels has worsened in the past
year, with the military intensifying its campaign against rebels in
the north and east.

Both sides have repeatedly violated a 2002 cease-fire.

Tamil rebels have been fighting for an independent state in Sri
Lanka's north and east since 1983. Nearly 70-thousand people have died
in the conflict.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AP.


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