COLOMBO, March 16: Four soldiers were killed and 12 seriously wounded in clashes with Tamil Tiger rebel in northern Sri Lanka on Friday, military sources said.

Security forces tried to advance towards positions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Vavuniya district, but were beaten back by heavy mortar bomb fire by the guerillas, the sources said.

“Four soldiers were killed and another 12 were admitted to hospital with serious injuries,” a military official said, adding that several others escaped with minor injuries.

There was no immediate word about rebel casualties.

“The army tried another move today to enter our area and we repulsed the offensive,” LTTE spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiriyan said.

It was the second attempt in as many days by troops to break into Tiger territory, according to the guerillas.

There was no immediate comment from the defence ministry, but local officials in Vavuniya said troops were evacuating the wounded by helicopter.—AFP