S Lanka forces kill 18 rebels in sea battle

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COLOMBO, April 4 (AFP): Sri Lankan security forces destroyed three Tamil Tiger boats Saturday and killed at least 18 guerrillas trying to escape a major military ground offensive, defence officials said.
Tiger rebels are battling to resist an military assault that has pushed them into a 20-square-kilometre patch of land in the northeast coastal district of Mullaittivu.
The navy's special boat squadron sank one vessel belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) while two others were destroyed by ground troops when they tried to beach, a military spokesman said.
The military believed that at least 11 rebels were killed by the navy while another seven perished when the army directed ground fire at Tiger boats that were trying to get to shore, he said.
The defence ministry said two sailors were wounded and three naval craft slightly damaged during the confrontation.
The guerrillas were believed to be leaving a narrow strip of land that is still under their control when the battle erupted.