It is the first detailed official report since censorship on reporting the war was introduced last Friday.

Speaking in the Sri Lankan parliament, the Junior Defence Minister, General Anuruddha Ratwatte, said that a further 1,300 soldiers had been wounded. He said censorship had been introduced to prevent information reaching the Tamil Tigers.

General Ratwatte said that intercepts of Tiger's radio communication indicated that over 200 rebels had also been killed during the latest government offensive in the 16-year long civil war

Emergency regulations

The emergency regulations imposed a ban on reporting any operations carried out by the police or military unless they had been first checked by the army's deputy chief-of-staff. Press releases sent by the Tamil Tigers also cannot be reported under the regulations.

Opposition legislator Sarath Amunugama criticised the government for imposing censorship and appointing an army general, Jaliya Nammuni, as chief censor.

General Ratwatte told parliament that soldiers had emphasised the need to prevent the flow of information to the enemy after local newspapers had published details of military plans. He said it was also to stop the families of troops worrying unnecessarily.