COLOMBO: At least 21 Tigers and two soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were killed in fighting in the north and the east in the last 24 hours even as the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombed an "LTTE gathering point" near Kilinochchi early on Thursday morning.

The military and the Tigers gave conflicting versions on the fighting in the north.

In a statement, the SLAF said "a prominent LTTE gathering point" east of Kilinochchi came under heavy air bombardment. It said the LTTE target was neutralised and it was believed that a number of high profile terrorists were present at the gathering. "The precision air strikes were made as a surprise assault on the terrorist gathering, who were believed to be regrouping for a fresh offensive against the security forces," it said.

"Daily bombardments"

However, the LTTE complained that for three days in row the Vanni area was subjected to daily aerial bombardments by the SLAF. "All of the attacks have been in the middle of civilian settlements terrorising people, especially the young," the Tigers said in a statement posted on their website.

It said that on April 24, bombs were dropped in late afternoon in Kaiveli, not far from the Puthukkudiyoruppu hospital in Mullaithivu district. It was alleged that a three-day-old infant in the hospital died due to severe shockwaves caused by the bomb explosions. A 60-year-old man, walking along the road near the bombed site, was also killed.

On April 25, according to the Tigers, the SLAF dropped bombs in Kilinochchi district around 11a.m. "Being the middle of the school day, panicked children in all schools ran in all directions". On Thursday's bombing, the Tigers said it was 500 metres from the Thiruvaiyaru Mahavidhyalayam school.

Separately, the military said security forces personnel conducted a clearing operation on Wednesday in the east of Madhu area to neutralise the LTTE mortar gun positions.

it repulsed a ground offensive by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Parisankulam, inside the LTTE-controlled Madu division in Mannar. "More than 10 Sri Lankan soldiers were killed and around 50 sustained injuries," said LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan.

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