Fighting resumes in Sri Lanka after brief pause

Colombo, Apr 15 : Sri Lankan troops today went all out against the LTTE after the two-day ceasefire expired, thwarting a suicide attack by the 'Sea Tigers' and killing 10 rebels off the Mullaitivu coast in the island's northern region.

Troops foiled a sea infiltration bid by the LTTE's naval wing killing 10 'Sea Tiger' cadres off the Mullaitivu coast this morning, sources said.

"The navy attacked two LTTE boats that tried to approach the coastline," the sources said, adding that while one LTTE suicide boat was captured, the other was destroyed.

They said bodies of three LTTE cadres were recovered and that the captured LTTE boat had been fitted with C4 explosives to carry out the suicide mission.

The attacks came as the two-day truce by the Sri Lankan Government against the beleaguered Tamil Tigers in view of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year ended early this morning.

Meanwhile, troops also uncovered 4 surface to air missiles (SAMs) dumped by the LTTE in the Pudukudiyirippu area in Mullaitivu.

The missiles were found during a search and clearing operation conducted by the 5th Gemunu Watch (5GW) infantrymen, the Defence Ministry said. PTI