Colombo, Apr 23: At least 90 Tamil Tigers and soldiers were killed and scores injured in Sri Lanka's embattled northern Jaffna peninsula on Wednesday in the fiercest clash between the two sides this year.

"So far, 38 soldiers have laid their lives while 84 suffered injuries in clashes in Muhamalai and Kilaly (areas) in Jaffna this morning and some of them have been airlifted to Colombo national hospital," military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Citing radio communications and ground sources, he said 52 LTTE cadres were also killed and many injured in the latest offensive in Jaffna.

The deadliest clash this year came a day after 25 rebels and a soldiers lost their lives in confrontations in the restive north of the island nation.

The heavy fighting between the troops and rebels on Wednesday broke out at 2 am (local time) as soldiers mounted retaliatory attacks at the offensive LTTE formations, according to the defence sources in Jaffna.

However, the LTTE said in a statement that "casualty details would be released after the ongoing clearing mission is completed."

Defence sources said the LTTE suffered a severe beating and was pushed some 500 metres back from its initial positions in the peninsula.