The Sri Lankan military says it has repulsed an attack by Tamil Tiger rebels in the north and killed at least a dozen rebels.

Troops engaged rebels in small arm fire, forcing them to flee, the defence ministry said in a statement.

It said the fighting took place north of Iranapalai in Mullaitivu district on Wednesday.

Intense fighting has been going on between the troops and the rebels in the northeast for several weeks now.

The Tigers have been driven from most of the territory they held by the army.

See map of the region

They are now cornered in a small patch of jungle and coastal area in Mullaitivu district. More... Published: Thu Mar 26 02:42:30 EDT 2009

Sri Lankan foreign minister Rohita Bogollagama sought explanation with the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Neil Buhne whose office released the report "Sri Lanka: Civilian casualties, Vanni Overview March 2009" which claimed that 2,683 civilian died and 7,241 were injured.

Buhne said "the report had been prepared by his Office, and was meant only for circulation among the donor community, but could not independently verify the authenticity of the figures of civilian casualties mentioned in the report," the Sri Lankan government press release said.

Buhne "stated that he is unable to confirm the veracity of the figures of civilian casualties since 20th January 2009 in the conflict area of Mullaitivu District, contained in an official report issued by his Office recently," Lankan government release claimed. More... Published: Wed Mar 25 17:37:33 EDT 2009

March 25 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa invited Tamil political parties to discuss a settlement to separatist demands, as the army says it is on the brink of defeating the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Rajapaksa invited Tamil and Muslim parties currently in parliament and those represented previously in the assembly to a meeting tomorrow, the government said on its Web site.

“The military campaign against the LTTE has reached a decisive phase and there is considerable interest in the government’s moves to activate the political process for a resolution of the ethnic conflict,” the government said.

The LTTE has been fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of the nation for 26 years. The army has driven the Tamil Tigers from their main bases in the north since January and says the rebels now hold only 24 square kilometers (9.3 square miles) of land near the northeastern port of Mullaitivu.

An All Party Representative Committee has drawn up plans for both devolution and sharing of power with the local administrations in Tamil-dominated areas in the north and east. More... Published: Wed Mar 25 17:29:16 EDT 2009