Sept 01, Colombo: Intense battles raged in northern Sri Lanka as Sri Lankan troops of Army's 57 division facing stiff resistance from the Tamil Tiger rebels encircled the strategic town of Mallavi in Mullaitivu district yesterday.

Defense reports said the troops are now engaged in mop-up operations and the town will soon be under government control.

Yesterday’s clashes across the embattled region killed 32 Tigers and 5 soldiers, the military said today. Another 50 Tigers were wounded and 12 others were recorded as either killed or wounded. Twenty-two soldiers also received injuries.

On the Vavuniya front, troops of Task Force 2 confronted the rebels east of Palamoddai area killing 18 LTTE cadres and injuring another 21. Troops found 5 bodies of LTTE cadres, 3 T-56 rifles, and a radio set. A solder was killed in a clash erupted during the daytime, authorities said.

In Kilinochchi, troops of Task Force 1 confronted Tiger rebels in the Vannerikulama area killing 7 Tigers and injuring 9 more. Also, 3 soldiers were killed and 7 others suffered injuries.

Clashes in Welioya meanwhile killed 6 Tigers and a soldier. Another 29 Tigers and 3 soldiers received injuries, the military said. Troops moving ahead of the Kilaly Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Jaffna confronted a group of Tigers yesterday killing one and injuring seven.

Independent verification of casualty figures is not possible since the media is not allowed in the conflict zone.

The Sri Lankan government says over 6,000 Tigers have been killed so far this year.