Another vital Tamil town falls

COLOMBO, MAY 18: Advancing Sri Lankan troops today captured yet another key Tamil town in the north-east Vanni region as they moved further three kms on the strategic Jaffna highway killing 250 rebels and losing 53 of their soldiers in the six days of fierce battle so far.

An army spokesman today admitted 22 soldier were killed during the past 24 hours while 26 others wounded. The LTTE losses in the fighting was stated to be around 250. The army today quoting rebel transmissions said 316 Tamil guerrillas were injured in the battle. The army losses were also believed to have been much higher than admitted.

However, the army battling for the control of the 60 km long acirc;euro;tilde;Kandy-Jaffnaacirc;euro;trade; highway which was in the rebel hands, achieved a major breakthrough by capturing yet another tamil town, Nedukeni, which was about 35 km north-east of omanthai. The army said a second column of army troops, who has advanced into the LTTE heartland of Vanni from north-east Welioya managed to overcome the stiff resistance offered by the LTTE fighters and took control of the town this morning.