Colombo - A Sri Lankan army offensive against Tamil guerrillas brought the heaviest fighting in months to the northern Jaffna peninsula yesterday, the army reported. At least 32 Sri Lankan soldiers and 75 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in the fighting, the army said.
The rebel radio said 100 government soldiers had died.
The army said it had launched an offensive at dawn on the town of Pallai. The military spokesman, Brig Sanath Karunaratne, said troops were digging in now that the first phase of the offensive was over.