'Eight die' in Sri Lanka violence

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Four Sri Lankan soldiers have been killed by Tamil Tiger rebels in two separate attacks in the north of the island, the military says.

Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said three soldiers were killed when an explosive device blew up at a railway station in Vavuniya.

He said the other died in a mine blast in the northern Jaffna peninsula.

Earlier the army said it had killed four rebels in eastern Batticaloa district on Monday.

There has been no comment from the Tamil Tigers.

The military and ceasefire monitors say at least 2,000 people have been killed in violence this year in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile in Jaffna city people have been paying respects to pro-Tamil Tiger politician Nadarajah Raviraj who died after being shot by unidentified gunmen in the capital, Colombo, on Friday.

He is due to be buried on Wednesday.