COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, May 18, SPA -- Navy and army troops clashed with Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka's volatile northeast, triggering battles that left at least seven insurgents dead, the military said Friday, in the latest fighting in the tropical island's deepening conflict. Rebels fired on navy troops on foot patrol in northernKayts island on Friday, drawing retaliatory fire that lefttwo rebels dead, said military spokesman Brig. PrasadSamarasinghe. Army soldiers, meanwhile, killed five insurgents duringclashes in eastern Batticaloa district Thursday near therebels' Thoppigala base, Samarasinghe was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/450831