Colombo, March 23 (Xinhua) At least 20 Tamil Tigers rebels and three government soldiers were killed Friday morning in clashes in the northern part of Sri Lanka, said the military.

The military spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said 20 dead bodies of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres were observed in battle areas in the northern Mannar district and troops were able to recover a haul of arms, ammunition and equipment.

Three soldiers were killed and four others injured in action, he said.