Aug 20, Colombo: Fierce battles continued to rage in Northern Sri Lanka yesterday killing 25 Tamil Tiger rebels and four soldiers as the troops of 57 and 58 Divisions advanced further into the rebel dominated areas and engaged in confrontations with the Tigers, the military said today.

Confrontations between the troops from the two Divisions conducting operations in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu areas and the Tiger cadres killed 15 Tigers and three soldiers. Another 19 Tigers and 15 soldiers sustained injuries during the fierce clashes.

The skirmishes in Vavuniya killed four Tigers and injured another four while a soldier was also wounded. In Jaffna an LTTE small arms attack injured a soldier while another received injuries in Anti Personnel mine explosion in Muhamalai area.

Troops confronted Tiger rebels ahead of the Welioya battle front killing 6 Tigers and injuring another 12. A soldier also died in the fighting and another 6 soldiers received injuries.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed to continue the military campaign against the Tiger rebels “until the last rebel is killed or every inch of land is captured.”

The government says over 5,900 rebels have been killed so far this year and the numbers in the organizations are dwindling.