Toll exceeeds 50 as fighting escalates in Sri Lanka

Fierce fighting erupted in northern Sri Lanka as government forces mounted a fresh push into territory held by Tiger rebels, with the official death toll from the new clashes at more than 50. Security forces launched a pre-dawn assault against a defence line of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern Jaffna peninsula and smashed at least two dozen guerrilla bunkers, the defence ministry said.

SMH 22 Jan 2008