Six rebels killed in sea battle

Six Sea Tiger cadres were killed after the Navy destroyed and sunk two dinghies ten miles off Vidathalthivu in Mannar yesterday evening, a military spokesman said.

He said the two dinghies were spotted among a cluster of Indian fishing boats and when a Navy vessel tried to approach them, LTTE cadres started firing rocket-propelled grenades.

The Navy sunk the two vessels in the ensuing battle, killing at least six rebels, the spokesman said.