The latest clashes between the Sri Lankan government troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels left at least 67 people dead. According to the country’s defense ministry, 52 Tamil rebels were killed in the fire exchange, while the government troops lost 15 soldiers.

The fight started at about 0200 (2030 GMT) in the Muhamalai area in the northern Jaffna peninsula, the ministry said, adding that at least 70 soldiers were wounded in the process.

However, the casualties could be much higher or lower, depending on who makes the estimation. Both sides tend to exaggerate the enemy losses and play down their own. An independent confirmation of the casualties isn’t available.

Since the formal ceasefire ended in January, the violence escalated in the island south of India bringing the overall death toll of the conflict to 70,000 people. The civil war started in Sri Lanka in 1983.

"LTTE terrorists came and attacked our forward line this morning, we have retaliated and captured about 400 to 500 meters of LTTE area in Muhamalai," said military spokesman Brigadier Udayananayakkara.

The government troops crossed the frontline between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan military after the early attacks, advanced nearly 500 meters along an 8km (five mile) wide front and overran the LTTE first line of defenses.

The conflict between the Sri Lanka's pro-government forces and the LTTE has started 24 years ago. Two attempts of reaching peace were made, but after the last of them made during the peace-talks held in Geneva a year ago, the fighting has intensified.