Sri Lankan troops have killed 15 Tamil Tigers rebels in a battle to capture a small town in the country's north-west, the army says.

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the BBC that two soldiers had also been killed during an operation to "liberate" Adampan in Mannar district.

The rebels have not commented on the incident yet.

Violence in Sri Lanka has intensified since January, when the government pulled out of a ceasefire agreement.

Brig Nanayakkara said Adampan was a Tamil Tiger stronghold.

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"The area had to be liberated for people to settle down there."

He said seven soldiers had been injured in the operation.

Last month, the rebels bombed military targets in the Welioya region in north-east of Sri Lanka using light aircraft.

The Tigers have fought for a generation for an independent state for the Tamil minority.

At least 70,000 people have died since the civil war began in 1983.

Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting for an independent state for the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka for a quarter of a century.

(BBC)

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