Heavy fighting claims more lives in northern Sri Lanka
Updated
Sri Lanka's defence ministry says heavy fighting across the north has left at least 35 Tamil Tiger rebels dead.
The ministry says nine government soldiers also died on Sunday, including three in an accidental hand grenade explosion in Jaffna.
There was no comment from the Tamil Tigers.
According to defence ministry claims, the latest fighting raises the number of rebels who have died in combat since January to around 5,500 while 505 soldiers have been killed in the same period.
