Navy destroys two LTTE boats

Sri Lanka's Navy destroyed two LTTE boats during a pre-dawn clash off the country's east coast yesterday killing at least 12 Tiger terrorists, the Media Centre for National Security said.

The clash broke out after the Navy spotted a cluster of Tiger boats off the coast of Pulmoddai, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said.

The cluster included 10 large boats, 12 small boats and four suicide boats to ram into naval vessels.

The Tigers opened fire and the Navy retaliated, destroying and sinking two of the larger boats and killing 12 terrorists, Samarasinghe said.

Two sailors suffered minor injuries in the attacks, he said.