COLOMBO, Feb 15: Three Tamil Tigers were killed in the east of the country in fresh clashes with the government military on Thursday as a large haul of explosives was discovered in the north and the east, sources said.

The guerillas were killed in the eastern Ampara district in a fire exchange with the police and army, sources said.

Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said 690 kilograms of powerful C-4 explosives had been unearthed in an abandoned house in the Jaffna peninsula.

“Two 81mm mortar guns that were buried along with another large haul of T-56 weapons and radio communication sets were recovered on Thursday noon from the eastern Trincomalee district,” Samarasinghe said stating that the discovery had prevented a major attack being planned by the Tiger guerillas.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy and coast guard on Wednesday seized a consignment of weapons and explosive-making material south of Chennai believed to be meant for the LTTE, reports said.

Five suspected Tamil Tiger rebels who had been aboard the vessel have been arrested along with the items, reports added.