Colombo, Sep 2 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan Navy has destroyed 12 boats of the Tamil Tigers in a fierce battle in the northern seas, the government said Saturday.

A government statement said that over 80 Sea Tigers were believed to have perished in the attack. The dead included five boatloads of the rebel suicide wing members.

The troops spotted the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) boats off Jaffna peninsula's Point Pedro area around 8.00 p.m. Friday.

The Sri Lankan Navy's Dvora fast attack craft opened fire at the boats which were believed to be proceedings to launch an attack on the Kankesanturai harbor, which provides the supply port facilities for some 45,000 government troops stationed in Jaffna peninsula.

"The battle continued till early Saturday when we successfully chased away the Tigers," an official spokesman said. There was no immediate response from the rebels to the navy claims of casualties.

The clashes in Jaffna peninsula began Aug 11 when the LTTE began attacking troops in the forward defense lines at Muhamalai in the southern sector of the peninsula.

Three weeks of fighting have left over 100 dead and was the worst since the government and the rebels signed a truce agreement in February 2002.

The international community has been appealing to the government and the rebels to revive the stalled peace process by eschewing violence.