Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Rebels Clash in Northern Sea
01 September 2006
Sri Lanka's navy and the Tamil Tiger rebels fought a fierce sea battle Friday near Point Pedro off the island's northern Jaffna peninsula.
Military officials say they engaged nearly 15 rebel boats and damaged four of them. There has been no word on casualties. Earlier, the military said it was launching an offensive to eliminate the rebel threat south of the strategic Trincomalee harbor.
The military says 14 soldiers have died since the assault began Sunday.
Also in the peninsula, a powerful roadside bomb explosion killed a soldier and wounded at least four others.
More than half of the international ceasefire monitors in Sri Lanka who belong to European Union member countries have left to meet a rebel deadline. The rebels demanded that they leave after the EU listed the Tamil Tiger rebels as terrorists.
The Tamil rebels are fighting for a separate homeland in northern Sri Lanka.
Diplomats say a 2002 ceasefire agreement between the government and the rebels appears to be near total collapse as violence continues to increase.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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