At least 59 LTTE cadres and two security personnel were killed amid air attacks by Air Force fighter jets on the rebel stronghold in Sri Lanka's [Images] embattled north, officials said on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka Air Force MI-24 helicopter gun ships launched close air support mission ahead of security forces defence line in Muhamalai in Jaffna on Wednesday.

Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Andrew Wijesooriya said the attack was targeted at a tiger's mortar launching pad and an LTTE's gathering place located three km  ahead of the security forces defence line in Muhamalai.

At least one LTTE cadre was gunned down in Vediyamurippu in north-western Mannar yesterday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

Meanwhile, a security personnel belonging to Civil Security Department was shot dead in Buttala-Kattargama road in south-eastern Sri Lanka, officials said.

At least four Tamil tigers were killed in Nadunkani in Vavuniya yesterday, the MCNS said, adding three more LTTE rebels were gunned down in Thunnikddukulam area in the region.

Separately, troops killed at least 14 tiger rebels including two female cadres in confrontations at Periyamadu in Vavuniya, the army said.

At least ten rebels were killed and four injured in separate confrontations at Mundimurripu in Vavuniya, the military officials said. As many as three tiger rebels were gunned down in Kunakankulam in North-eastern Welioya yesterday, they said, adding two LTTE cadres were killed in Paliyankandal in the region.