Sri Lanka soldiers fought an intense battle with Tamil separatists in the war-torn northern region and later found seven rebel bodies, the military said Friday. The hours-long fighting erupted Thursday in the village of Panikkankulam as army troops pushed toward the main highway that cuts through rebel-held territory in the north, a military statement was quoted as saying by Associated Press. The statement said the clashes caused «heavy damage» to the guerrillas, leaving «scores» of rebel fighters dead. Troops found seven rebel bodies after the clashes, along with six assault rifles, it said.
