COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, December 10, SPA -- Gun battles between Tamil Tiger rebels and government soldiers across Sri Lanka's volatile north killed seven insurgents and one soldier, the military said Monday. In one battle near Mannar, just south of rebel-heldterritory, six insurgents were killed late Sunday morning,the military said in a statement. A seventh was killed in anearby confrontation in the afternoon, the military said. The soldier was killed in another battle in the same area,according to the statement quoted by the Associated Press.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/507849