20 Militants Killed in Sri Lanka Clashes
Clashes between Tamil guerrilla groups spread to eastern Sri Lanka on Sunday with gunmen killing at least 20 people and wounding 10 more, residents said.
Fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacked vehicles carrying rival militants and pounded their camps with mortar and small arms fire in the Batticaloa district.
Residents said seven people, including two civilians, were killed at Kirankulam as it came under fire from the rebels. Eight more were killed at Kiran, north of Batticaloa. Other casualties were reported at Mandur and Karaitivu where heavy fighting was also reported.
The Tigers have reluctantly handed over some of their weapons to Indian peacekeeping forces under a July 29 accord aimed at ending a four-year-old conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the separatist guerrillas.
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