Colombo, Dec 10: Fierce fighting continued to rage between Sri Lankan troops and tiger rebels on outskirts of two LTTE strongholds of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu leaving scores of rebels injured and seizure of huge cache of arms and ammunition.

The government troops continued to maintain the momentum in their bid to capture the last two tiger strongholds, as fighting was reported to be very near city centres of both the towns, officials said today.

They said that attempts by LTTE cadres to mount counter attacks were beaten back by the forces and casualties were inflicted on the tigers.

Five confrontations were reported between the army troops and LTTE cadres at Kumulamunei in Mullaittivu yesterday in which the tiger rebels suffered huge damages, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

"The troops were able to chase the LTTE rebels away inflicting maximum possible harm on them whenever the enemy tried to strike against them. It is believed several Tiger militants suffered injuries or death during those confrontations", the army said.

The troops also suffered minor damages during the clashes, the MCNS said.

Tiger rebels also resorted to unabated mortar fire towards troops in Mulliyaweli area in Mullaittivu district yesterday, the army said adding the security forces tackled the situation.

At Kilinochchi, the tiger rebels suffered damages in five different clashes in Adampan area yesterday, the military said.

Meanwhile one army soldier was wounded in an anti-personnel mine explosion in the Nallloor area in the region on the same day, it said.

Bureau Report