Government forces shot dead at least 17 Tamil Tiger guerrillas in fresh fighting in northern Sri Lanka where a civilian was also shot dead overnight, the defence ministry said Saturday.
Security forces shot dead 10 members of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil eelam (LTTE) during a confrontation near Muhamalai in the Jaffna peninsula on Friday, the ministry said.
It said there were no casualties among troops but another seven Tigers were killed in two other confrontations.
An 11-year-old deaf boy was shot dead by a soldier on Friday night mistaking him for a curfew violator, the ministry said adding that the victim had failed to respond when challenged at a road block in the peninsula.
The victim's father had reported that the boy was returning home in the night after watching a television show at friend's house nearby.
The latest upsurge in violence came amid reports that Norway was closer to bringing the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government to the peace negotiating table -- COLOMBO (AFP)
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