Conflicting casualty claims

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over 100 soldiers were killed and many more wounded when the Tigers counter attacked the Sri Lankan Army which tried to advance towards Kilinochchi in two directions backed by Air Force jets and artillery yesterday, said the Liberation Tigers in the Vanni today.

The Tigers further said that they had recovered over 50 bodies of the soldiers.

The bodies of the SLA soldiers are to be handed over to the ICRC, they said.

The SLA said that 32 soldiers were killed in the fighting yesterday and that 15 of those killed are from the Wijeba infantry regiment.

SLA further said that more than 150 Tigers have been killed in the fighting yesterday.

The Tigers said that they lost 20 members in the fighting yesterday.

Sirens of ambulances moving the wounded to the General hospital continued to be heard in Colombo.

The SLA sources said that the fighting was continuing this morning.

Kilinochchi was captured by the SLA during operation "Sath Jaya" in July 1996. In an attack in February 1998, LTTE wrested control of key parts of the Kilinochi town and the southern forward defences from the SLA. Sources say that the current SLA operation in Kilinochi is aimed at capturing back the areas that are under Tiger control.