A Tamil Tiger rebel was killed while another arrested in eastern Sri Lanka after they attacked a military road check on Wednesday, defense officials said.

The suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels arrived in a motor cycle and hurled a hand grenade at a military road check in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 6:30 p.m. local time (12:30 GMT).

The soldiers at the check point fired back at the Tigers, killing one and arrested the other while chasing him.

The LTTE rebels have stepped up attacks against the government forces in the east recently.

The attack came just one hour ahead of a statement from the Sri Lankan President's office that the Norwegian peace facilitators have begun a process to get the Tigers and the government to meet in the capital Colombo for talks to review the Norwegian-backed cease-fire.

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga had called for talks in the immediate aftermath of the Aug. 12 assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Source: Xinhua