COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, December 20, SPA -- Sri Lankan soldiers fought a series of gun battles with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in the embattled north, killing 13 insurgents, the military said Thursday. Six insurgents were killed on Wednesday in separatebattles in the northern Vavuniya district, just south ofrebel held territory, said a defense ministry official. In nearby Mannar district, soldiers clashed with a groupof insurgents, killing three guerrillas, the official said,speaking on condition of anonymity because he is notauthorized to speak to the media. Separately on Wednesday, army troops killed four Tamilrebels near the front lines in Muhamalai in northern Jaffnapeninsula, he said. One soldier was wounded in theconfrontation, the Associated Press reported.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/510980