Heavy fighting grips Sri Lanka after victory parade
Fri Jul 20, 6:02 AM ET

Government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in combat in northwest Sri Lanka with both sides claiming they had inflicted heavy casualties on the other.
The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched the pre-dawn attack on army defences in Mannar district, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Three government soldiers were killed and another four were wounded, the ministry said. It placed rebel losses at nine killed and 20 wounded.
The Tigers said they mounted the attack against a military base which had been shelling nearby villagers, and claimed they had killed at least ten soldiers.
"The mini-camp (of the military) had been harassing the civilians by shelling nearby villages," the LTTE said in a statement.
"The Sri Lanka armed forces personnel manning the mini-camp fled the scene, leaving behind 10 dead bodies, weapons, military equipment and ammunition."
The latest attack came a day after the government celebrated the capture of the final bastion of the LTTE in the east of the island with a victory parade.
The Tigers have been fighting for a separate state for minority Tamils

Women injured in mortar attack
Hospital sources say an elderly woman is in a serious condition Two women have sustained injuries in two mortar attacks on Friday evening in a village in Anuradhapura district.

Weli Oya police accused Tamil Tigers of launching the attack on Athavetunuwewa village from the Forward Defence Line (FDL).
Karunawathie, 58, and Niranjala, 25 were transferred to Anuradhapura General hospital after being initially treated at Padaviya hospital.
Hospital sources told journalist Athula Bandara that Karunawathie's condition was serious.
Two other women sustained injuries in Athavetunuwewa village in two mortar attacks on Sunday evening.
Ranawana Dhamminda thero, head of Sri Udumbararama temple said the villagers were hiding in self-made bunkers after the second attack.