Sri Lankan military: Fighting kills 16 rebels, 1 soldier

Government troops fought a series of battles with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels along the front lines in Sri Lanka's embattled north, leaving 16 insurgents and one soldier dead, the military said Monday.

Gunbattles along the front lines Sunday in the northern district of Vavuniya killed 12 insurgents, a Defense Ministry official said. The clashes left one soldier dead and eight others wounded, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. (AP)