No chance of Prabhakaran fleeing by sea
Rafik Jalaldeen in Mullaitivu
Inching a step forward to escape by sea is a fading dream for LTTE
leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his associates. The Navy’s highly
fortified four defence lines are under operation without timeout.
A journey to the sea is a new experience for a journalist like me.
What I witnessed was how hard these Naval troops are striving to protect
the Motherland from terrorists amid unbearable heat, LTTE attacks and
infiltrations. The sailors deployed in the seas off Mullaituvu to detect
LTTE movements have not seen the shore for days. The sailors are silent
fighters in the deep sea.
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Naval troops are closely monitoring LTTE movements.Picture by
Samantha Weerasiri |
The LTTE cadres were militarily defeated from ground and sea. Their
capabilities were weakened by the Security Forces. Hence, the exodus to
the cleared areas.
The Northern coastal line extending from Kankasanthurai to
Chundikulam and the Eastern coastal line from Point-Pedro to Kalmunai
were cleared from LTTE movements. The Navy has established highly
fortified defence lines with high-tech leaving no room for the LTTE to
escape.
To monitor the LTTE movements, the coastal line is fixed with radar
facilities in Pulmodai, Kallarawa, Chenmalai, Chilawatte, Chalai and
Chundikulam.
The Navy maintains continuous surveillance and patrolls the North-
Eastern seas. Naval fortifications have been tightened with multiple
defence barriers consisting of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Gun
Boats (FGBs), Fast Attack Craft (FACs), Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS)
and the Special Boat Squadron (SBS).
Continuous shore-based radar surveillance is also being carried out
to compliment Naval units to prevent remaining LTTE cadres from
launching desperate attacks on advancing Security Forces’ personnel and
to cut off possible fleeing attempts of Tiger leaders trapped in the No
Fire Zone.
The four Naval defence lines and deployments of the Navy are as
follows. In the first defence line beginning from three nautical miles
Arrows were deployed. In the second defence line, Inshore Patrol Crafts
(IPCs) and in the third defence line Fast Attack Crafts (FACs) and Fast
Gun Boats (FGBs) are deployed. The third defence line was divided into
two. The last and fourth defence line deployed Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).
These four defence lines were covered with Bolder Point from right
and left sides. Therefore, the Mullaitivu sea is fully covered by the
Navy without any loopholes.
The round-the-clock vigilance maintained by alert Naval troops on
continuous Naval patrol close to the now fast diminishing enemy
stronghold, has been instrumental in thwarting LTTE’s last-ditch
desperate Sea Tiger attacks on ground troops. The Navy’s patrol craft
have recently been able to inflict heavy casualties on enemy cadre and
vessel on four consecutive occasions.
While the Navy has strengthened its defensive, the LTTE has been
weakened and its sea power disabled. This is a set back to the LTTE. The
Security Forces in the last leg of the humanitarian operation have the
LTTE confined to less than six sq km. With troops marching forward to
complete their mission, the LTTE cadres are making desperate attempts to
flee by sea.
Do they have a submarine fleet? If so, is it possible to flee it?
Commander Eastern Naval Area Rear Admiral Susitha Weeraskera totally
denied LTTE’s submarine capabilities.
He told the media team that the LTTE was trying to build a semi
submersible vehicle with foreign aid. The submarine type vehicle which
was found by troops was built by Mexican drug dealers to smuggle drugs
to the United States. In fact, the LTTE does not possess a submarine.
The LTTE leader cannot flee by a submarine.
A submarine can be used by connecting a powerful battery with
rechargeable capacity. But this type of submarine cannot be used for the
LTTE leader to escape to a long distance, destination.
The other type of submarine is one that has the oxygen facility to
survive. To collect oxygen, the submarine should have connections with
the surface. If the LTTE leader would use such submarine, it will be
detected by Naval patrols and thermal cameras.
Rear Admiral Weerasekera challenged the LTTE leader to try fleeing by
the sea and he said “our boys are waiting for you.” |
