COLOMBO(AFP) - At least 19 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier were killed in sporadic clashes across Sri Lanka's north, the defence ministry said Tuesday.

Fighting on Monday in the areas of Weli Oya, Mannar, Jaffna and Vavuniya, also left 46 combatants on both sides injured, the ministry said in a statement.

The separatist Tigers did not comment on the clashes but said one civilian was wounded when airforce fighter jets dropped bombs on Tuesday in areas under rebel control.

The military did not comment on the air attack.

The latest round of fighting raises the number of rebels killed by government forces to 4,789 since January, while 430 soldiers have died in the same period, according to the defence ministry.

Government figures cannot be independently verified as journalists are barred from visiting front line areas.

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