Both sides claim to have inflicted heavy casualties on each other.

Security forces say they've recovered the bodies of twelve rebels and stress they killed many more.

Military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said security forces have recovered 12 Tamil Tiger bodies and soldiers had observed 40 others in front of the defense line.

He said twelve security forces personnel on listening duty in the forward defense line were missing.

In the fighting two soldiers were killed eight seriously injured and fifteen other silightly injured, Brigadier Samarasinghe said.

The Tamil Tigers for their part say they've killed thirteen soldiers.

The political leader of LTTE in Trincomalee claims that they had recovered nine dead bodies of soldiers and five of Karuna faction.

LTTE tried to hand over the dead bodies through the ICRC but this request was declined by them saying that they are not authorised to accept them, Elilen said.

He said they captured a soldier alive.

Elilen futher said that they lost only eleven members in the fighting.

Bodies

Military spokesman Brigdier Samarasinghe said that they were in constant contact with the ICRC and the SLMM to get the dead bodies that the LTTE has claimed.