Lanka fighting

COLOMBO, July 25: Nine Tamil rebels and two soldiers were killed and over 30 injured on both sides in a fierce encounter when the troops repulsed a major Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam LTTE attack in northern Jaffna, Sri Lankan army said here today.

Troops retaliated with small arms, mortars and artillery, after over 70 well-armed LTTE guerrillas came in small boats yesterday and attacked the army bunker lines at Gurunagar, a small harbour near Jaffna, a defence press release said.