COLOMBO, March 29 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's navy said on Thursday it sank three Tamil Tiger boats off the island's northeast coast, killing between 15 and 18 rebel fighters.

"A naval patrol has come across about 10 Tiger boats and our boats launched an attack, and we were able to destroy three rebel craft," said Commander Athula Senaratne, a navy spokesman. "During the attack we believe 15-18 rebel cadres were killed."

The attack off the coast of the rebel-held northeastern district of Mullaithivu is the latest in a rash of land and sea battles after a two-decade civil war that has killed around 68,000 people since 1983 resumed.

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