Colombo, Oct 6, SPA -- Heavy fighting erupted Friday between government troops and Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka, leaving at least 22 rebels dead, despite indications that the government and rebels planto resume peace talks later this month, officials said. Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, a military spokesman, said fighting broke out in the Mankerny area of Batticaloa district, 280 kilometres south-east of Colombo, when the army's forward defence lines were attacked by rebels with mortar fire, according to a report of the German news agency "DPA."--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/394444