Sri Lankan rebels said Dec. 17 they had repelled a coordinated government offensive into rebel-held territory, killing 130 government soldiers and wounding hundreds of other troops. The government denied the claims. The fighting came as Sri Lankan forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against the Tamil Tigers’ northern stronghold in the face of punishing seasonal rains and stiff rebel resistance. Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy casualties while underreporting their own. Journalists and independent observers are barred from the war zone. (AP)
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