Colombo - Heavy fighting between government security forces and Tamil rebels were reported in north-eastern Sri Lanka as the Navy foiled a rebel sea attack, the military said Monday.

At least 47 rebels were killed Sunday and Monday in the Mullaitivu district, 395 kilometres north-east of the capital, military officials said.

A flotilla of seven boats carrying rebels made an attempt to carry out a pre-dawn attack on security forces on the coast Monday, but the navy destroyed the boats and killed at least 26 guerrillas including a senior member of the group, Navy spokesman Commander DKP Dassanayaka said.

One government sailor was killed and three others including an officer were injured, he said.

Ground troops were also involved in clashes in the Pudukudirrippu area in the Mullaitivu district. At least 13 bodies of rebels were found in the area, the army said.

In a separate incident, eight rebels were killed in the same area.

The military claims it is in the final phase of a drive to recapture the last rebel-held areas in northern Sri Lanka, after restricting the guerrillas to an area of 21 square kilometers.

However the military advance has been slow due to resistance from the rebels as well as the presence of the civilians in the area.

The government estimates that the number of civilians in the area are around 50,000 while some 59,000 civilians have already fled the area into government-controlled areas.

Tamil rebels claim that the security forces have been firing into an area which is declared as a "safe zone," but the government has strongly denied the claim. (dpa)