Sri Lanka says 19 Tamil rebels, 1 soldier killed in new northern battles

Nineteen Tamil Tiger rebels and a Sri Lankan soldier were killed in a new round of fighting in the island's restive north, the military said Sunday.

Battles broke out Saturday on the northern front lines of the Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya regions as soldiers tried to push into the rebel stronghold, a military official said. (AP)