COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's government claimed on Tuesday its forces had killed 22 more Tamil Tiger rebels in ongoing fighting in the north and hit back at demands from key donors for a return to a ceasefire.

Security forces, backed by air and ground power advanced into rebel-held territories on Monday killing at least 22 guerrillas for the loss of two government soldiers, the defence ministry said.

The latest claim brings this month's rebel toll to 397 dead against 20 government soldiers killed, according to the island's military.

Sri Lankan authorities are accused of routinely exaggerating rebel losses. They also prevent journalists from travelling to frontlines or the northern jungle area controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Ongoing fighting comes as a 2002 Norwegian-brokered truce, which was in practice dead anyway, is set to officially end on Wednesday.

The government abandoned the ceasefire two weeks ago, saying there was no point attempting to negotiate with a "terrorist outfit".

It has also warned international donors not to upset its ambition to defeat the LTTE and kill its leaders before pushing through a political solution to the island's long-running ethnic war.

During talks with Japanese envoy Yasushi Akashi on Monday, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama warned against "any international action that could jeopardise the government's initiatives in the peace process".

The foreign minister argued that any international pressure on the island's hardline government – which is also under fire over its human rights record – "would only strengthen LTTE intransigence and trigger increased violence".

Japan, the biggest donor to Sri Lanka, has said foreign aid could be withheld if violence keeps escalating in the island's 36-year-old ethnic conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.


- AFP/so