LTTE ship sunk by Lankan Navy

COLOMBO, November 2: At least 25 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels and five soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in Sri Lanka today even as Navy and Air Force, in a joint operation, destroyed a rebel ship while it was unloading a huge cache of smuggled arms and ammunition near northeastern Mullaithivu.

Fighting between Army and LTTE erupted in northern Kilinochchi town today when troops attempted to break through the rebel defences, Army sources said, adding 25 LTTE rebels and five soldiers were left dead in the clashes.

Army sources said an unspecified number of LTTE rebels were killed when Navy and Air Force launched a joint operation destroying a ship which was spotted unloading crates of weapons into several small boats near Mullaithivu coast, currently under rebel control.