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Heavy fighting in east Sri Lanka | |
(about 10 hours later) | |
There has been an outbreak of heavy fighting in eastern Sri Lanka as Tamil Tiger rebels and troops blamed each other for renewed battles. | |
The rebels say that seven policemen were killed in Ampara district. | |
But the government says that only three were killed and that it is the rebels who have suffered "severe losses". | |
Meanwhile there are unconfirmed reports that the rebels have also killed seven commandoes in a separate clash near the eastern town of Batticaloa. | |
No end in sight | |
The BBC's Dumeetha Luthra in Colombo says that both the government and the Tigers have now developed a language for the regular clashes along their front lines. | |
Each accuses the other of starting the fighting - both say they only act defensively. | |
Our correspondent says that in this undeclared war the only verifiable truth is that the violence is escalating with no end in sight - and civilians are the ones caught in the middle. | |
The government blames the Tigers for advancing to the Sri Lankan forward defence lines in Vakarai in Batticaloa district. | |
They say that "dozens" of rebels have been killed in the most recent fighting, in which the military deployed artillery backed by air support in the north and east. | |
Deadlocked | |
The military says that the rebels were pushed back, but they have denied claims that they moved into no-man's land. | |
The rebels says their positions in the east have come under concerted attack form the army using tanks and armoured personnel carriers. | |
The military say the rebels have sustained heavy casualties | |
In a separate incident, the government says that three "home guards" - civilians who have been armed to help the security forces - were killed in a rebel raid on a camp in Kabithigollewa in the north. | |
More than 3,000 people have been killed in the past year of fighting, the government says. | |
Our correspondent says that although on paper a ceasefire still exists, it has no existence in reality. | |
Peace talks remain deadlocked, and more than 200,000 people have been displaced. | |
The rebels want a homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east. They say Tamils have been discriminated against by the island's Sinhalese majority. | The rebels want a homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east. They say Tamils have been discriminated against by the island's Sinhalese majority. |
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