Colombo: In a pre-dawn attack, Sri Lankan Navy on Wednesday destroyed six LTTE boats and foiled seven suicide attacks by the rebels to recapture the Rektavaikkal fortifications.
Thirty-four Tamil Tigers were killed, amid reports that Velupillai Prabhakaran may try to flee the island through the sea route.
Lankan warships detected six Tiger boats sneaking out of the coastal patch they still hold, sinking all of them and killing 25 rebels on board, a Naval spokesman said.
The presence of boats with the Tigers indicate that they are still holding on to some of them to facilitate the escape of top LTTE leaders.
"There were 25 rebels on board the six Tiger boats that were sunk this morning," the spokesman said, adding that four of the craft were laden with explosives for a possible suicide strike against Lankan boats to make a passage for the other two boats to make a getaway.
In fresh offensive, army on Wednesday captured another LTTE fortification killing nine more rebels.
Meanwhile, British and French foreign ministers, who are here on an official visit, said they had failed to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to announce a ceasefire and allow international aid agencies access to the war zone.
"We tried very hard... We insisted... but it is upto our Lankan friends to end the offensive and allow aid to the civilians trapped by fighting," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said.
British foreign secretary David Miliband also said that their talks with Sri Lankans have made no "breakthrough".
He said that "we told the Lankans that truce is to help trapped civilians and not to help LTTE".
"Now is the time, we have to give peace a chance. Sri Lankan army has made spectacular gains, but hunt for a peace is as crucial as winning the war," Miliband said.
The two leaders also said they had "failed" to make Sri Lankan government agreed to allow access to UN and international aid agencies to channelise aid to the trapped people.
Meanwhile, LTTE cadres made as many as seven suicide attacks on the ground to recapture the fortification near Rektavaikkal which were breached by Lankan troops on Tuesday.
Menawhile, reports from war zone said Prabhakaran had switched over to wearing civilian dress to avoid detection and targetting by Lankan forces.
In fresh offensive army on Wednesday captured another Tiger fortification killing nine more rebels.
Advancing further south after breaking through LTTE defences, the army captured a 200 metre long earth bund which was still under construction, the army said.
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