At Least 40 Killed in Fighting in Sri Lanka

斯里兰卡至少四十人死于冲突

Sri Lankan officials say government forces have killed at least 40 Tamil Tigers and wounded 70 others during a rebel attack on strategic areas in the country's northeast. Military officials say five government troops were also killed in the fighting early Wednesday.The rebels say they overran four military outposts, but authorities in Colombo say the rebels have made no territorial gains.

Rebels also fired mortar shells into a civilian area in Muttur near Trincomalee, killing at least two civilians. It was the eighth straight day of fighting. Norwegian Development Minister Erik Solheim, urged the warring parties to immediately stop all hostilities. He said the situation was the most serious it had been since the ceasefire in 2002.

斯里兰卡官员说，在反政府武装对东北地区战略要地发动的袭击中，政府军打死至少40名泰米尔猛虎游击队员，打伤70人。军方官员说，在星期三早上的战斗中，五名政府军士兵阵亡。反政府武装声称攻占了四个军事哨所，但科伦坡当局说，反政府武装并未占领任何地方。

反政府武装还向亭可马里的一个平民区发射迫击炮弹，造成至少两名平民死亡。双方的战斗已经持续进行了八天。挪威发展部长索尔海姆敦促交战各方立即停止一切敌对行动。他说，自从2002年停火以来，目前的局势是最严重的。