Government troops moved into a rebel-controlled area in north-western Sri Lanka over the weekend as both the military and Tamil rebels claiming to have inflicted heavy casualties.

The military claimed that as many as 33 rebels were killed and 38 others were injured in clashes in the Parappakandal area of Mannar, 320 kilometres north of the capital. It said only six soldiers were injured in the fighting.

But the rebels said they killed 20 soldiers and injured 40 others while claiming they lost only three of their cadres.

Troops over the past few weeks have been building up their positions in the north-western Mannar district.

In the same district a soldier was killed on Saturday in a grenade attack by Tamil rebels.

In a separate incident in Jaffna, 390 kilometres north of the capital three rebels were killed and five soldiers were injured in a confrontation.