Colombo, Feb 9: At least 49 Tamil Tigers and three soldiers were killed in fierce clashes between the rebels and the security forces in the embattled northern Sri Lanka, the military said on Saturday.

While three Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were killed at northern Kokkuthudawai, five Tigers were gunned down in clashes at Muhamalai and Nagarkovil in Jaffna peninsula on Friday, it said.

Meanwhile, a security personnel was killed and ten others were wounded in Nagarkovil during clashes on Friday, the Defence Ministry said.

Separately, in the Vavuniya front, troops surged into LTTE-controlled territory killing 12 rebels, including eight during a gun battle in Sinnapanddichurichchan area, the government's Media Centre for National Security said.

In Mannar, eight rebels were killed and a soldier was wounded in clashes at Sirikulam, Nedunkulam, Kallikulam, Adampan and Karapiddimoddai areas on Friday, it said.

Two LTTE rebels were killed in Vilathikulam area of Vavuniya on Friday, while another was gunned down in Kathirathan in Jaffna, the army said.