The Tamil Tigers have fought since 1983 to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, who have been marginalized by successive governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed.

Early Friday, air force planes bombed a base of the Sea Tigers, the rebels’ naval wing, in their de facto state in the north, said air force spokesman Wing Commander Andy Wijesuriya. Another airstrike on a rebel military base in the guerrilla stronghold of Mullaitivu took place overnight, he said.

Wijesuriya did not give details of casualties or damage, but said “pilots have confirmed they hit the target accurately.”

Infantry clashes Thursday in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna regions, bordering the rebels’ turf, killed 27 rebels and two government soldiers, the military said.