COLOMBO, Sept 19: Sri Lankan soldiers and sailors killed 63 Tamil Tiger rebels on a second day of fierce combat in the north of the Indian Ocean island nation, the military said on Friday.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they had repulsed an army advance, killed 25 troops and wounded 40 in Vannirakulam, the site of heavy fighting for weeks, pro-rebel web site www.tamilnet.com quoted unnamed rebel officials as saying.

There was no independent confirmation of the casualties from Thursday’s battles, which followed one of the single bloodiest days of fighting since the military cranked up an offensive drive three months ago. At least 71 were killed on Wednesday.

Most of Thursday’s fighting occurred near Nachikkudah, a north-western port about 300 km north of that was the site of fierce land and sea clashes that the military said killed 25 “Sea Tigers” and another 17 rebels. Eighteen were wounded.

In the same clashes, five soldiers died and 14 were wounded.

Fighting at various points further east killed another 20 rebels, and one was killed in the far northern Jaffna Peninsula, the military said. Three soldiers were killed and two were wounded, the military said. —Reuters