According to military, government forces launched an attack against Tamil Tigers rebels in northern Sri Lanka on Monday, killing 15 rebels and losing two of their soldiers.

Soldiers attacked with artillery and mortar fire in the northern Jaffna peninsula and ruined 24 of the rebels’ bunkers, according to military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.

He said that 15 rebels were killed during the fight which lasted for about an hour, the Associated Press reports. He also said that nine soldiers were injured.

The rebels didn’t make any comment. But according to a website which supports the rebels the Tigers killed three of the soldiers and injured 15 others.

The reports didn’t comment upon the losses suffered by the rebels.

A statement released by the defense ministry said: “Troops launched a multi-pronged surprise assault at LTTE positions ahead of Nagarkovil defenses (in Jaffna peninsula)... forcing terrorists to flee with soaring casualties.”

The attack on Monday was a response to the fighting which occurred on Sunday on Vavuniya, Mannar and Weli Oya, in the northern part of the island.

Those clashes ended with 74 dead rebels, including a local commander.

According to the Tigers, they’ve only lost three fighters in the Mannar area on Sunday and that they caused many casualties among the government soldiers.

Sri Lanka army claimed to have killed 551 rebels since the beginning of this month and has lost 24 soldiers, AFP informs.

According to Army chief Sarath Fonseka, the military planned to kill 3,000 rebels in the first six months of the year.

Last week the six-year truce with the Tamil rebels ended and Sri Lanka accused the rebels for using the pact as a way to strike again and re-arm.

Since the beginning of the war in 1983 over 70,000 people were killed. LTTE are fighting to form an independent minority in the northern and eastern part of the island.