At least 26 LTTE fighters and six soldiers were killed as heavy fighting erupted around the safe zone in Puthukkudiyiruppu, while the security forces continued their advance into the last stretch of land held by the LTTE, the military said yesterday.
The advancing security forces had also breached a bund in the area to get closer to the remaining LTTE pockets, while carefully avoiding civilian areas, Military spokesperson Udaya Nanayakkara said.
He said the LTTE had erected several bunds around the safe zone in a desperate bid to slow down the military advance.
Meanwhile, in a related development, at least another 3,000 civilians entered government-controlled areas during this week, bringing the total number of persons to have fled the LTTE areas since fighting erupted to nearly 60,000, Brigadier Nanayakkara said. |
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