Five Sri Lankan Sailors Killed In Clash With Rebels
Hector Duarte Jr. - All Headline News Staff Reporter Sri Lanka (AHN) - Five Sri Lankan sailors are dead after a clash with Tamil Tiger rebels off the country's west coast. Navy spokesman DKP Dassanayake says about 20 rebel craft attacked two naval vessels near Kalpitiya, roughly 86 miles northwest of Colombo. He also says, 12 rebels had also been killed, however Tamil rebels say only one rebel died. A rebel spokesman blamed the navy for starting the clash. Escalating violence has so far claimed about 700 lives in Sri Lanka this year alone. Commander Dassanayake said the rebel attack occurred near a small naval base near a lagoon in Kalpitiya. He told Reuters, "As they approached, our craft went and engaged with them. One of our craft got damaged... Two of their boats were destroyed." Air support was then called in and the rebels then dispersed. The five sailors' bodies were recovered from the sea near the damaged boat. The rebels, meanwhile, say they sank one of the navy vessels. Rebel spokesman Daya Master says, "Our boats were moving in that area when the Sri Lankan navy interrupted them and opened fire."
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