Colombo – Air force fighter jets on Thursday bombed Tamil rebel targets in northern Sri Lanka as troops consolidated positions they captured overnight, killing at least seven guerillas, a military spokesman said.

The military said the air force bombed what they identified as resistance points located at Thunukkai in Mullaitivu, 380 kilometres north of Colombo.

The air raids were carried out in support of ground troops engaged in fighting to take control of a main land route.

The military said the rebel targets were hit accurately, but no details of the damage were reported.

On Wednesday, troops captured the Kalvilan area, 370 kilometres north of the capital, and were consolidating positions in the recaptured areas.

In a separate incident in Welioya, 360 kilometres north-east of Colombo, troops killed seven Tamil separatist rebels in a confrontation.

Government troops are fighting their way into rebel-held districts in the northern part of the country.

In military operations carried out during the past two years troops have recaptured the Eastern Province and restored civil administration after resettling about 300,000 displaced persons.

According to the army's commander, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, more than 9,000 rebels and 1,770 soldiers have been killed in the past two years.

There was no independent confirmation of the military's figures. (dpa)