Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels say they have freed 23 child soldiers after allegations they have recruited at least 40 under-age combatants since the island was battered by tsunamis.

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) says the 23 children have been handed over to the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) to be reunited with their parents.

"In a process of identifying under-aged kids among those volunteered for enlistment with the LTTE, 23 such children were handed over to the NESOHR chairperson," the Tigers said.

The release comes a week after the United Nations (UN) children's fund accused Tigers of recruiting at least 40 child soldiers since tsunamis devastated Sri Lanka's coastlines and killed nearly 31,000 people on December 26.

UNICEF had said the LTTE had taken three children from a relief centre for survivors in the north-eastern region of Trincomalee and another from the neighbouring Batticaloa district.

UNICEF said the other children had been recruited from areas of the north-east held by the guerrillas.

Human Rights Watch last November accused the rebels of enlisting more than 3,500 boys and girls aged below 18 since the truce with government went into place in 2002. Amnesty International and foreign governments have also criticised the recruitment of child soldiers.

Today is Sri Lanka's Independence Day. President Chandrika Kumaratunga urged her nationals to unite and rebuild the tsunami-battered nation as it marked the 57th anniversary of the end of British rule. "I hope this is the dawn of a new era of unity amongst our people," Kumaratunga said. "Let us unite with those who we consider our enemies... in order that we rebuild our nation after tsunami".