(Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan military said Saturday eight dead bodies of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were found after government troops launched an attack on the rebels' strong point in the north. Officials from the Media Center for National Security said heavy damages were caused to the rebels when the troops launched an attack on an LTTE strong point in the northeastern Welioya are a around 7 a.m. local time (0130 GMT). Eight dead bodies of the rebels were found and would be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the officials said.
Meanwhile, pro-rebel sources said three soldiers were killed in an attack carried out by the rebels when a 3-member-team of a patrol unit entered a no-go zone between the LTTE and the government at Naavatkulam in the Vavuniya district around 10:15 a.m.(0945 GMT).