Ministry of Defence claimed that heavy clashes have erupted on Saturday morning when the troops launching a “pre-emptive strike” ahead of their forward defences in the north-western Mannar region locked in heavy gun battle with the Tamil Tigers at their first bunker lines at Manthai, south of Adampan.

“Radio monitoring of LTTE transmissions have so far revealed that 9 LTTE cadres have died and 47 others suffered injuries in the attack. Three army personnel have been killed and 10 others injured in the incident,” the Defence Ministry report said.

Earlier in the day, six LTTE cadres were killed and when pre-dawn clashes erupted with the troops manning the Forward Defence Lines near the (now closed) Muhamalai entry/exit point.

The Defence Ministry also claimed that four more LTTEers were killed in three separate clashed with the troops in the Welioya district also on Saturday. There were no immediate comments from the rebels regarding these fresh claims.

Lanka has stepped up security arrangements in and around Colombo after the twin blasts that occured last Wednesday.