New Delhi, Sept 23 (IRNA) Six civilians were gunned down in separate incidents across Sri Lanka's northeast overnight, the Defence Ministry said today.

Troops found the bodies of three persons shot dead in the northern Jaffna peninsula where another man had been killed by unidentified attackers yesterday, PTI reported here quoting Lankan Defence Ministry.

It said Tamil Tiger rebels shot dead a postman in Jaffna and another person in the eastern district of Batticaloa yesterday.

The violence came as Norwegians were set to open talks with Tamil rebels on arranging a round of negotiations with the Sri Lankan government.

Sri Lankan war planes yesterday bombed suspected Tamil Tiger positions in Jaffna peninsula.

The airforce said Israeli-built Kfir jets bombed positions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Pooneryn and the southern sector of Jaffna.

There were no details of casualties. However, the pro-rebel website claimed nine bombs were dropped on rebel-held territory destroying five civilian homes.