COLOMBO, Nov 24: At least 20 Tiger cadres were killed in fresh gun battles in the north of the country, military officials said on Saturday as fighting erupted along the border adjoining LTTE controlled areas. Separately two policemen were killed in the east in a roadside bomb blamed on the rebels.

The bomb blast occurred in the eastern Batticaloa district on Saturday morning as the two policemen were riding past on their motorbike, military sources said.

On Friday a sea battle between the navy and the LTTE killed over 15 rebels according to the Defence Ministry.

The battle began after rebel sea tigers in a fleet of small boats attacked the police post in the coastal village of Pesalai in northern Mannar, sources said. The navy ground troops and patrolling craft repelled the attack without suffering any casualties and killing over 15 guerillas, military sources said.