Sri Lankan military clashes with rebels

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, March 23 (UPI) -- Sri Lankan troops killed 48 rebel fighters in its separatist territory, a report said Sunday.

The Colombo Page reported that six soldiers were also killed in the fighting. Additionally, 29 Sri Lankan troops and scores of Tamil Tiger rebels were wounded.

Officials said Saturday the military had taken control of the Parayakulam and Illanthaven areas of Mannar. In that operation, 25 rebels and two soldiers were killed.

In the region southwest of of Madhu and Kallikulam in Vavuniya, the military said it killed 13 Tigers Saturday.

Torrential rain from a mosoon is baing blamed for eight deaths other in the country.

"The most affected districts are Badulla, Mannar, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Monaragala, Ratnapura, Gampaha, and Puttalama," the Disaster Management Center said.