Sept 22, Colombo: Heavy battles raged in Sri Lanka's northern war zone yesterday as government soldiers pushed ahead with the plan to capture Tamil Tiger rebel's de-facto capital of Kilinochchi. The military said 59 Tigers and 7 soldiers were killed and another 15 Tigers and 25 soldiers were injured in the day-long battles.

Most of the heavy battles were in Kilinochchi where Tigers suffered heavy losses with 38 deaths. Seven soldiers also were killed as troops faced heavy resistance from the Tigers. Troops also recovered seven bodies of the slain LTTE Tigers along with a load of weapons.

In Vavuniya troops clashed with the Tigers throughout the day in a series of confrontations. Fifteen Tigers were killed including a LTTE leader named 'Muttu', defense reports said.

Troops captured two LTTE bunkers including two huts and a partially destroyed building located in Andankulam area of Welioya yesterday killing three Tiger cadres.

Meanwhile in Eastern Sri Lanka Special Task Force personnel ambushed a group of Tiger rebels yesterday (21) evening along the Pothuvil Sawala Road in Amapra district killing two Tiger cadres.

Independent verification of casualty figures is not possible as the battle area is not accessible for the media or for aid workers.

With recent successes in the battlefield Sri Lanka military is now poised to take the rebels’ center of administration in Kilinochchi. The military says they are only 3.4 miles away from the rebel headquarters. Defence analysts say the Sri Lankan armed forces are now better placed to defeat the LTTE militarily as their numbers and arm supplies are dwindling.