A heavy gunbattle between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels left 28 militants and two security personnel dead in the island nation's embattled north, the defence ministry said on Monday.

While three militants were killed in Kaduruvittankulam during clashes, four rebels were gunned down in Kallikulam in Vavuniya yesterday, it said.

A soldier was injured during a confrontation with militants at Thampane in Vavuniya.

In a clash at Villanthikulam, three militants were killed and seven other injured, it said, adding one army personnel was killed and nine others sustained injuries in the incident.

One militant was killed in Jaffna when troops launched an attack in Muhamalai on Sunday morning, it said.

In north-western Mannar eight LTTE militants were gunned down in a confrontation with troops on Sunday, the defence ministry reported.

Of it five were killed in Narikkulam area, it said, adding the rest were gunned down in Palaikuli and Tettakuli areas on Mannar. One soldier also lost his life in the incident.

One soldier was reported injured during a confrontation in Thampane in Vavuniya district.

In another confrontation at Pallikulam in north-western Mannar on Sunday, two militants were killed while no damage was reported to the security forces, the Media Centre for National Security said.

One LTTE cadre and a security personnel were killed at Cheddikuli in Mannar, it said.

In a confrontation with troops in Paranthaikulam on Sunday some militants and two soldiers received injuries.

In Jaffna, troops deployed at Ponnar on the Kilaly front, attacked a LTTE bunker line on Sunday evening, it said.

The army claimed that eight militants were killed and four LTTE bunkers destroyed when troops attacked LTTE bunker line at Nagarkovil in Jaffna on Sunday morning, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka [Images] navy sailors uncovered four suicide belts and a military pack on Sunday at Velani and Kaytes island.