Fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels has left 36 people dead in Sri Lanka.
Security forces clashed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern district of Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna yesterday killing 33 rebels, the defence ministry said.
The military said three soldiers died and at least 15 were injured in weekend fighting.
Sri Lankan airforce fighter jets have carried out sorties over a suspected rebel sea base in the guerrilla-controlled areas in the north.
Government troops have killed at least 2,451 rebels since the beginning of January, while 150 government soldiers have died in action, according to defence ministry figures.
Casualty numbers given by both sides cannot be independently confirmed as Colombo bars journalists and rights groups from frontline areas.
There was no immediate comment from the LTTE, who have waged a fight for autonomy in the island's north and east since 1972.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan troops have been hit by tropical illnesses as a result of heavy rains and floods in the north.
