Sri Lankan security forces on Saturday claimed to have killed over 50 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels during fierce exchange of fire in Batticaloa.

Defence officials had on Friday said they recovered 22 bodies of Tiger rebels but on Saturday they revised it down to 12. They, however, claimed that troops had observed '40 to 45 bodies' of Tigers lying ahead of military defence lines in Mankerni in Batticaloa district.

'Bodies of 12 Tiger terrorists, shot down when they attempted to infiltrate the forward defence lines, were handed over to the Valachchenai hospital for onward transfer to the Red Cross,' the defence ministry said in a statement, adding, 'However, troops have observed 40 to 45 bodies of Tiger terrorists lying ahead of the forward defence lines.'

The Tigers claimed they recovered 13 dead bodies of government troops and captured a soldier alive, but the military said only two soldiers were killed and eight wounded.

There was no independent verification of the claims made by both sides, which have stepped up the propoganda war in wake of the latest fighting that erupted after the Norway peace envoy left the island.    

However, more than 50 people were admitted to Polonnaruwa hospital located in the neighbouring district, according to doctors. The victims included government troops and paramilitary cadres cooperating with security forces in their battle against the Tigers, they said.

Both sides have also blamed each other for starting the latest fighting.