Death toll in Sri Lanka violence mounts

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Sri Lankan government said Friday its air force pounded Tamil Tiger locations in the north as the death toll from the rising violence soared.

"Air Force jet aircraft pounded a meeting place of (Tiger) militants south of Piramanthlakulam in Puthukudiyirippu today," the defense ministry said.

The air strikes were concentrated in the rebel-dominated Kilinochchi region.

Ground clashes have raged since Thursday and the Press Trust of India quoted the ministry that at least 31 rebels and one soldier were killed.

Fighting was reported in the Jaffna and other regions. The ministry said among those killed was a Tiger leader identified as "Savithri," which is a woman's name.

Separately, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa called on the Tigers to resume peace talks after giving up their arms, the government said.

"A political solution is viable only after terrorism is wiped out," he said, adding "We rose from the tsunami devastation like Phoenix from the ashes. Similarly, we will wipe out terrorism from this land soon."

The Tiger rebels have been fighting for years to establish a homeland for the Tamil speaking minority on the predominantly Buddhist island nation.