Lankan rebels handover 126 bodies as forces continue air raids

"We now have a fair idea of the positions vacated by troops. Naturally those areas are being subjected to aerial bombardment," army spokesman here said, confirming reports that the Israeli-made Kfir bombers conducted series of air-raids on these complexes and surrounding areas.

The Kfirs and helicopter gunships were extensively used to provide aerial support to the ground troops.

Meanwhile, fighting became less intense around Soranapattu village, situated on the highway leading to Jaffna, on which LTTE claimed control yesterday.

Both LTTE and army claimed control over the area today.

The army, while vacating the garrisons few kms south of the Peninsula, located its new defence lines around Soranapattu and the surrounding areas to halt any further LTTE advance into Jaffna and other parts of the Peninsula.

Army sources here said that at present both the army and the LTTE were trying to consolidate their hold on areas under their control.

Both were also doing "stock taking" of the casualties of the long battle which went on unabated since March 26.

Army said it had agreed to receive 126 bodies, believed to be that of Sri Lankan soldiers, sent by the LTTE today through the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

However, no decision had yet been taken on the claim of the LTTE to send 74 more bodies, it said.

The LTTE has claimed that over 1000 soldiers have been killed in the fighting, which has been denied by army chief Lt Gen Srilala Weerasdurya. He told a press conference here last night that the army has lost only 88 soldiers while 438 others were wounded during the withdrawal from the two garrisons on April 21. Around 100 soldiers were listed as missing, he said.

He said, on the contrary, the LTTE radio had admitted that 368 of its cadre were killed in the fighting between March 26 and April 21.

Before that the rebel group has admitted to have lost 500 cadre between December 11 last year and March 26, he said.