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43 killed in fierce
Lankan offensive
Agencies, Colombo
Government forces fought fierce battles with ethnic Tamil separatists along Sri Linka's northern front lines in a wave of fighting that killed 43 rebels and four soldiers, the military said yesterday.
The bloodshed came amid weeks of escalating violence in the area, as government troops pushed deep into rebel-held territory, seizing key Tami) liger bases and towns that had long been under rebel control.
Battles raged Tuesday over the key town of Mallavi, which lies along an important northern road used by the rebels, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. "We have taken over about three-quarters of the area," he said. "It's not cleared yet."
Security forces marched into the town on Monday evening and onTuesday morning were "hunting for remaining Tigers," die ministry said.
"Domination of the well-known Mallavi town... marked one more decisive and impressive phase of the 'war for peace'," the ministry said, referring to its drive to take the Tiger political capital of Kilinochchi, further north.
It said 49 guerrillas and 11 soldiers were also wounded in the Tightingon Monday.
The capture of Mallavi, where the Tigers had medical facilities, would be a psychological blow to
the guerrillas as it is regarded the birth place of Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran's wife, defence officials said.
In the worst of Monday's fighting, troops captured six bunkers in the Nachchikuda area of Kilinochchi region, killing 26 rebels, the military said. Fighting in the area also killed two soldiers, it said.
Air force jets pounded a facility where the rebels stored mortar shells north ol Nachchikuda on Tuesday morning, the military said.
Battles across the Welioya, Mullaittivu and Vavuniya regions killed another 17 rebels and two soldiers, the military reported. The rebel-affiliated TamilNet Web site, citing unnamed Tamil Tiger officials, said at least seven soldiers were killed in the fighting at Nachchikuda.
With most communication cut with the northern areas, rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment.
Government officials have vowed to crush the rebels by the end of the year.
The Sri Lanka government Culled out of a Norwegian-rokered ceasefire with the rebels in January, and are engaged in a massive offensive aimed at dismantling the rebels' northern mini-state.
The defence ministry said security forces raised the national flag at Mallavi to the ’thundering applause" of troops.
The military also released pictures of the Mallari hospital and other town landmarks now under military control.
There was no immediate word from the Tigers about the military announcement, but the pro-rebel Tfonilnet.com website said they had offered stiff resistance on another front along the northwestern sea board.
Tamilnet said fighting was reported near Mallari, but gave no further details.
According to Sri Lankan authorities, government forces are now just 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) outside of Kilinochchi. the Tamil Tigers' main administrative base which is situated 330 kilometres north of the capital Colombo.