COLOMBO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan military said on Friday that two leaders of Tamil Tigers rebels' elite "Charles Antony" band were killed in recent fighting in the north.

    The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that the leader of the "Charles Antony" band of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Amuthab, and former leader of the same band Gobith were killed in recent fighting in Puthukkudiyiruppu.

    "Charles Antony" is known to be the elite band of the LTTE that was there in almost all major battles fought with the Army, said the statement.

    "The two slain LTTE leaders were known to be the most battle hardened fighters in the band. Unlike the corrupted LTTE top level leaders, they were also known to be treated with respect by the junior cadres," the statement added.

    More than 70,000 people have been killed in conflicts between the military and the rebels since mid-1980s in the country.