From correspondents in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 06:31 PM IST

A senior leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sea wing was killed in fighting in the northeast Sri Lanka, defence officials said Sunday.

The leader, Chellian, was killed over the weekend when troops successfully captured a key LTTE defence position in Karayalamullaivaikkal area in the Mullaithivu district, said Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman.

Nanayakkara denied reports that a large number of civilians had been killed Saturday due to heavy shelling by the military. He said the troops had never fired at the no fire zone and accused the LTTE of firing at civilians to put the blame on the military.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)