The military announced on Tuesday that 20 more rebels were killed in new fighting between the authorities and Tamil insurgents. The military air bombed a suspected rebel operations base and also two soldiers died during operations.

According to military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the rebels were killed in 10 different clashes in Vavuniya, Welioya and Mannar on Monday.

On Tuesday the military bombed with war planes a suspected Tamil Tiger operations center. There weren’t any reports on the casualties.

The violence in Sri Lanka has been rising since last month when a truce between the two sides had expired and senior government officials have vowed to crush the rebels in the first six months of 2008.

The military has opened up four fronts around the territory occupied by the rebels.

In the last few days rebels have launched attacks against the civilians and military in the wake of the 60^th anniversary of independence.

On Sunday a bomb exploded at Colombo’s railroad station killing 12 people and injuring over 100, while on Monday, the day of the independence, another 14 were killed by a roadside bomb attack on a civilian bus in Welioya region.

Also on Monday another roadside bomb attack in the town of Buttalla killed a soldier and wounded two others.

On Monday President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the nation saying that the terrorists will be destroyed.

He said: “Our defense forces have achieved victories that were never before seen. Terrorism is facing a defeat that it has never before faced.”

Sri Lanka told India on Monday that a speedboat along with seven sailors was missing after a confrontation with the rebels at the maritime border.

Colombo is claiming that 400 or 500 Indian trawlers were poaching in its waters and that Tamil rebels hided among them in order to attack Sri Lankan naval patrols.

Colombo said that Sri Lankan patrols were not able to return fire fearing that it would hurt the Indian fishermen.

The defense ministry said that the naval attack was followed by a ground one where five rebels were killed.

Over 70,000 people have died since the fighting began in 1983.