From correspondents in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02:01 PM IST

Sri Lankan defence ministry Friday claimed that troops engaged in offensive operations against the Tamil Tigers have killed at least 30 rebels in two clashes.

The fierce confrontation took place at Chiraddikulam in Vauuniya around 6 p.m. Thursday, said the ministry.

The Sri Lankan Army has claimed to have recovered 25 bodies of the rebels along with their weapons, including 20 T-56 assault riffles, two rocket propelled grenade launchers and a 12.7 mm gun.

The defence ministry said five soldiers were wounded during the clashes, adding that a decomposed body of an LTTE cadre was recovered from Navui area.

Meanwhile, supersonic fighter jets have also stepped up assaults against the suspected rebel locations in Mullaitivu region.

The defence ministry said the fighter jets have bombed another training facility of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Pirapavedduvan, 10 km north of Oddusuddan junction in Mullaitivu, early Friday.

There was no immediate reaction from the rebels regarding the fresh claims by the military.

Independent verification of the battlefront casualties is not possible because journalists are barred from visiting the area.

Over 4,000 people have been killed since December 26 due to surge in violence in the country.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)