Sept 03, Colombo: Sri Lankan troops battled hard facing stiff resistance from the Tamil Tiger rebels as they moved forward ahead of frontlines across the embattled North capturing the town of Mallavi in Mullaitivu district and the LTTE forward defence lines (FDLs) at Akkarayankulam and Terrankandal in Kilinochchi.

Yesterday’s clashes killed 47 Tigers and wounded 65 more while 5 soldiers also died in the skirmishes. Seven soldiers are missing in action and 31 soldiers suffered injuries, the Media Center for National Security said. However the pro-rebel Tamilnet web site put the death toll of the soldiers at 75.

In Kilinochchi troops attacked an LTTE bunker line and captured the FDLs at Akkarayankulam and Terrankandal. The Tigers have launched a counter attack to regain the lost bunker line in the same evening. Clashes in the area have killed 22 Tigers and 5 soldiers while seven others have gone missing.

Nineteen LTTE terrorists killed and twenty-three wounded in the Vavuniya battle front when troops confronted the rebels in separate incidents.

Six LTTE Tigers were killed and eleven others were wounded when troops confronted the rebels in Andankulam area in Welioya yesterday, the MCNS said. The troops also recovered 48 Anti Personnel mines in a subsequent search operation in the area.

The Tamil Tigers are threatened in their last bases and in the verge of losing their grip on the rebel heartland as troops encouraged by recent battlefield victories are in the go to capture Kilinochchi, the rebels’ de-facto capital.

The Sri Lankan government has vowed to continue the fighting until the rebels are driven out of the land and free the area.