Fifteen Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in the clash between the Sri Lankan troops and the rebels which took place in Colombo, on Sunday. Three soldiers also died according to the military.

Four separate clashes took place Saturday between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan troops in the northern district of Vavuniya. On Sunday, another clash took place on the Jaffna peninsula, in the Muhamalai area. This area separates the regions held by the government and the rebels, according to an official at the Defense Ministry information center.

According to Reuters, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said: “The troops confronted and killed four terrorists in Muhamale in Jaffna on Sunday morning.”

Officials say that 11 LTTE rebels were killed in the attacks on Saturday, and one soldier was lost in the confrontation on Jaffna peninsula. The military reported 30 deaths since Thursday-seven soldiers and 23 rebels. The rebels were not available to comment on the fighting.

It is known that both sides tend to exaggerate the number of casualties of their enemy and to lower their own.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels have been fighting since 1983 in order to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamil in the north and east of the island. The government promised to crush the rebels. In July, it declared that the Eastern Province was cleared of rebels. Still small groups of resistance remained in the area.

The rebels attacked last Monday a key air base. In the attack, eight aircrafts were destroyed and 14 troops killed. The 21 rebel suicide fighters also died in the attack. Five thousand people died this year alone due to the clashes and air strikes of the rebels. The death toll has reached around 70,000 people since 1983, when the conflict started.

Analysts say that the conflict could go on for many years and according to the counter-terrorism experts a political settlement could be the only hope.