Colombo  -  At least 17 Tamil rebels were killed by government troops in three separate incidents in northern Sri Lanka as fighting between the two sides continued, military officials said Tuesday.

The fighting was reported from the Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya areas, more than 260 north or north east of the capital on Monday, officials said.

Nine of the rebels were killed and eight others were injured in a clash in Welioya where a soldier was also injured while four each were killed in Mannar and Vavuniya, the army said.

Government troops have launched a major military offensive in the northern part of the country and over the four months at least 2,500 rebels while 300 police and security personnel have been killed in the north, according to the military. (dpa)