COLOMBO, September 07 (AFP) - Some 26 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier have been killed in clashes around the guerrillas` main northern stronghold and elsewhere in Sri Lanka`s north, the defence ministry said Saturday. The clashes, which took place on Friday, were centered around Vavuniya, Weli Oya and the Tiger`s political capital of Kilinochchi, said the ministry which blocks media access to the frontlines. The Sri Lankan government, which pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire in January, wants to capture the town in a first step to achieving its goal of totally dismantling the LTTE`s northern mini-state. There was no immediate comment from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Security forces are now concentrating on dismantling the LTTE`s main bastion in the north, with troops engaged in fierce battles in and around Kilinochchi. Troops ejected the LTTE from the east in July 2007. Sri Lanka has poured a record 1.5 billion dollars into this year`s war efforts. Tens of thousands of people have died on both sides of the conflict since the LTTE began fighting in 1972 for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the island`s north and east. According to the defence ministry, the LTTE has lost 6,738 fighters since January, while 657 government soldiers have died during the same period .