March 25, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1428

COLOMBO, March 24: Sri Lankan troops fought artillery duels and close-quarter battles with Tamil Tiger rebels in the island’s northwest on Saturday, as each side claimed to have killed dozens of foes over three days.

The military said it believed it had killed at least 45 Tiger rebels in the clashes in the northwestern district of Mannar, where renewed civil war is spreading from the east, saying that nine soldiers were killed and 46 wounded since Thursday. Pro-rebel website www.tamilnet.com said the Tigers said at least 60 troops were killed—Reuters