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| Sri Lanka troops 'kill 30 rebels' | Sri Lanka troops 'kill 30 rebels' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Sri Lankan military has killed about 30 Tamil Tiger rebels in overnight clashes in the east of the country, officials say. | The Sri Lankan military has killed about 30 Tamil Tiger rebels in overnight clashes in the east of the country, officials say. |
| An army spokesman said the rebels' last stronghold in the area would fall soon. | |
| The clashes came hours after Sri Lanka's navy said it had destroyed five Tiger boats and killed 40 rebels in the north of the country. | The clashes came hours after Sri Lanka's navy said it had destroyed five Tiger boats and killed 40 rebels in the north of the country. |
| There has been no comment from the Tamil Tigers, nor any independent confirmation of the deaths. | There has been no comment from the Tamil Tigers, nor any independent confirmation of the deaths. |
| The fighting took place in Thoppigala - 120km (75 miles) north of the capital, Colombo. | The fighting took place in Thoppigala - 120km (75 miles) north of the capital, Colombo. |
| It is a swathe of rugged jungle the Tigers still hold after being driven from much of the eastern province. | It is a swathe of rugged jungle the Tigers still hold after being driven from much of the eastern province. |
| For weeks there have been exchanges of artillery fire and confrontations as the Sri Lankan military has closed in. | For weeks there have been exchanges of artillery fire and confrontations as the Sri Lankan military has closed in. |
| The army said troops had seized three Tiger camps overnight and afterwards counted the bodies of about 30 rebels. | |
| Two soldiers were wounded. | Two soldiers were wounded. |
| 'Tactical withdrawal' | 'Tactical withdrawal' |
| Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said he believed about 150 rebels were left in Thoppigala, and that they would be defeated soon. | Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said he believed about 150 rebels were left in Thoppigala, and that they would be defeated soon. |
| The rebels, who claim much of the east as part of a homeland for the Tamil minority, have not commented on the reports. | The rebels, who claim much of the east as part of a homeland for the Tamil minority, have not commented on the reports. |
| Earlier, they said they had made tactical withdrawals and that the military would struggle to hold on to the territory it had taken. | |
| The navy and the Sea Tigers have clashed in the north of Sri Lanka | The navy and the Sea Tigers have clashed in the north of Sri Lanka |
| Meanwhile fighting continues in the north of the country, where the Tigers still control a large area. | Meanwhile fighting continues in the north of the country, where the Tigers still control a large area. |
| On Tuesday, Sri Lanka's navy said an attack by two dozen rebel boats had been repelled. | |
| They said they had destroyed five boats and killed 40 rebels in the clash that took place off the northern port of Point Pedro. | |
| The navy said it had used gun boats and helicopter gunships in the clash. | |
| The rebels have not commented on the reports. | The rebels have not commented on the reports. |
| The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says the government's stated strategy is to defeat the Tigers militarily, while negotiating a political solution to the grievances of the Tamils who have complained for decades of discrimination. | The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says the government's stated strategy is to defeat the Tigers militarily, while negotiating a political solution to the grievances of the Tamils who have complained for decades of discrimination. |
| He says the first step is to build consensus on a settlement among the majority Sinhalese political parties, but there has been little progress. | He says the first step is to build consensus on a settlement among the majority Sinhalese political parties, but there has been little progress. |
| The rebels have been fighting for independence since 1972. | The rebels have been fighting for independence since 1972. |
| About 60,000 people are reported to have been killed in the conflict. | About 60,000 people are reported to have been killed in the conflict. |