AKIPRESS.COM - Police say that 15 bodies including six children have been found after a raid in east Sri Lanka on militants linked to the Easter bombings, Fox News reports.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara gave the figures early Saturday after a gunfight between soldiers and the suspected militants near Sammanthurai.

The gunbattle began Friday night after police tipped off soldiers to a suspected safe house, where authorities say the militants set off three explosions and opened fire. At least three others were wounded in the attack.

Gunasekara says some of the dead likely were militants who blew themselves up in suicide bombings.

Earlier, the military said at least one civilian had been killed in the attack.