LTTE rebels fire a tripod mounted machine gun during fighting against Sri Lankan government soldiers in the village of Akkaraayan in the rebel held district of Vanni. Australia is considering formally declaring Sri lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers a terrorist group, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Monday, calling for a political solution to the island's civil war. (AFP/LTTE/Tamilnet/Ho)

Dozens Die In Sri Lanka Clashes: Govt -- Yahoo News

At least 27 Tamil Tiger rebels and five government soldiers have been killed in the latest clashes in northern Sri Lanka, the island's defence ministry says.

The ministry said the fighting occurred on Sunday around Kilinochchi, the administrative centre of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the target of the current government offensive.

There was no immediate comment from the Tamil rebels, and casualty figures cannot be independently verified as the Sri Lankan government tightly controls media access to the war-torn north.

The latest casualty figures bring to 7,466 the number of LTTE fighters the defence ministry has reported killed since January, when the government pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce.

It has acknowledged the loss of 738 soldiers in the same period.

More News on Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans Flee as Army Advances on Rebel Base, Red Cross Says -- Bloomberg
Sri Lanka clashes near key town -- BBC
32 killed in Sri Lanka clashes: govt -- AFP
Australia to consider listing Tamil Tigers as terror group -- Radio Australia