COLOMBO, Dec 25: The Sri Lankan government, after disregarding a call by Catholic bishops in the country for a one-day Christmas truce, bombed the Tamil tigers defences in Kilinochchi district on Christmas eve and Christmas day.

The Media Centre for National Security said on Thursday that Sri Lankan air force (SLAF) jets bombed tigers bases northwest of Iranamadu on Wednesday night.

The military on Thursday also claimed that it had beaten back a Tiger counter offensive west of Paranthan, a town north of Killinochchi. The defence ministry said that 18 cadre of the LTTE were killed and 34 were wounded in the fighting. Mortars, artillery and tanks were used by both sides.