45 Sri Lankan Soldiers Killed as Tamil Separatists Overrun Camps

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Tamil separatists struck back at advancing Sri Lankan troops Friday by ransacking two military camps, downing a warplane and killing at least 45 soldiers.

Officials said at least 600 rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacked troops in northern territory that the military had captured since its largest offensive in eight years began Sunday.

Relying on darkness, the Tigers overran two military camps and stole most of their weapons, army sources said on condition of anonymity.

At least 45 soldiers were killed and 100 wounded, the sources said. Rebel casualties appeared to be high, but no numbers were available. Before the Tiger counteroffensive, at least 30 soldiers and 11 rebels had been killed since Sunday.

The rebels also shot down an air force warplane, possibly with a surface-to-air missile, as it strafed and bombed rebel positions, the military said. The pilot was said to have died.

The Tigers claim the renewed fighting has forced nearly half of the 800,000 Tamils living in the Jaffna peninsula to flee their homes.

The civilians have moved to refugee centers, churches, temples and schools to escape the fighting, witnesses said.

For 12 years, the Tigers have been fighting for a homeland in Sri Lanka, saying the country’s majority Sinhalese deny the minority Tamils jobs and college admission, and routinely use other discriminatory actions.

After coming to power on a peace platform in August, President Chandrika Kumaratunga reached a cease-fire with the rebels and began negotiations with them. But the rebels broke the truce April 19 and stepped up the fighting.