COLOMBO: At least 27 Tamil rebels and two soldiers were killed across Sri Lanka''s embattled north, the defence ministry said Wednesday, a day after the rebels staged a daring air attack.

The latest military report came after a Tamil Tiger light aircraft dropped bombs on a naval facility in the northeastern port district of Trincomalee.

"Terror aircraft have dropped two improvised bombs," the ministry said. "Ten sailors have suffered injuries in the attack."

It said 27 members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had been killed in ground fighting since Tuesday, while two soldiers died.

The air attack by the Tigers came as government forces kept up a major offensive against the guerrillas inside their de facto state in the north.