June 03, Colombo: More than 52 Tigers and ten soldiers were killed in fierce battle that erupted ahead of military’s forward defense lines at Vavuniya since yesterday night, the military said.

The recent offensive was launched against the security forces ahead of a proposed visit by the Japanese Peace envoy Yasushi Akashi to the Wanni area.

Tigers launched an artillery and mortar fire at Army troops engaged in operations ahead of the FDL, Vavuniya, in the Mullikulama, Kalmadu area. Child soldiers too were involved in the attack, the military said.

According to military officials, the army troops have destroyed the main terrorist offensive line, leaving large number of LTTE bodies scattered in the area.

. “The army troops successfully repulsed and counter attack inflicting heavy damages to the Tigers. In the retaliatory attack, 52 terrorists were killed and large numbers were wounded. The terrorists who fled in the face of army retaliatory attack had abandoned a haul of arms and ammunition,” a senior military official said.

He said that twenty soldiers were injured and admitted to the hospital. Currently, the army troops are conducting operations in the areas ahead of the FDL.