COLOMBO, January 09, SPA -- Sri Lankan soldiers capturedrebel-held territory in the embattled north in a battlethat killed at least 20 combatants, the military saidWednesday. Fighting has escalated around the rebels' de-facto statein the north since last week, when the governmentofficially pulled out of a tattered cease-fire with theTamil Tiger rebels. Senior government officials have vowedto militarily crush the insurgents, according to a report of the Associated Press. In the latest clash Tuesday night, army troops seizedabout one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) of territorynear the village of Parappakanda in northern Mannardistrict, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. He said 19 guerrillas and one soldier were killed in thefighting and five soldiers were wounded.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/516041