Sri Lankan officials say fierce fighting between government troops and Tamil Tigers on the Jaffna peninsula has left 22 soldiers and a "large number" of rebels dead.
More than 100 soldiers were wounded.
Each side accused the other of launching offensives. The Tamil Tigers said the army was advancing toward rebel lines on the peninsula, and was using heavy artillery and rockets. They did not give casualty figures.
The military said the rebels provoked the fighting by firing artillery and rocket-propelled grenades and trying to infiltrate government areas. It says Air Force jets pounded rebel positions.
The fighting comes just a day after the rebels warned any further incursions by the military could prompt them to pull out of peace talks scheduled for October 28th.
Hundreds of people on both sides have been killed since July in heavy fighting that has shredded a ceasefire negotiated four years ago.
