LTTE beats back offensive; 85 die

Published October 12, 2006

COLOMBO, Oct 11: At least 75 Sri Lankan troops and 10 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed on Wednesday and over 400 soldiers wounded in a major battle in the island's north, according to the warring parties.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) offered stiff resistance and stalled a military push into rebel-held territory on the Jaffna peninsula, military sources said.

"More than 110 of the wounded have already been air-lifted to Colombo," said a top military source.

"The army has lost at least 38 soldiers and six officers, and over 400 have been wounded."

However, the LTTE in a statement said they had seized the bodies of 75 soldiers, while they themselves lost 10 of their fighters killed.—AFP