Tiger rebels killed in sea battle

Tamil Tiger rebels say that five of their members were killed on Mondayin a sea battle with the navy off Sri Lanka's north-eastern coast.

Voice of Tigers radio said two navy gunboats were damaged in the attack.

The rebels said the five killed were part of an elite Tamil Tiger suicide squad.

The rebel radio said that Sri Lankan air force jets which had supported the navy craft later bombed a number of coastal villages.

Navy sources said at least 20 rebels were killed or wounded, and at least three rebel boats had been destroyed in the battle, off the coast of the rebel-controlled district of Mullaitivu.

But there was no response from the military to the reports of aerial attacks.

There have been a number of sea battles since the navy launched its operation against Tamil Tiger sea activities last May.

The rebels, who want a separate Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, recently warned civilians against travelling on government-owned ferries.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service