Four more claymores detected

by Ranil Wijayapala

The Security Forces and Police on vigil to detect LTTE plans to target their personnel in the North and East yesterday recovered four more claymore mines in Mannar and Batticaloa averting yet another major disaster, Military and Police sources said yesterday.

An Army and Police road clearing patrol on the Anuradhapura-Mannar road recovered two claymore mines weighing nearly 30 kilograms along with a 90-metre wire set to detonate them, Vavuniya DIG Gamini Silva told the Daily News.

One grenade was also recovered from the area, he added.

"We were able to avert a major disaster."

Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told the Daily News that two RPG bombs and two claymore mines weighing eight kilograms and seven kilograms were recovered at the 118th mile post on the Punani - Valachchenai road yesterday morning after a search operation.

"The Army conducted this search soon after a foot patrol came under attack in the area," he added. The Army repulsed the attack on the foot patrol and the LTTE cadres fled the area amid Army resistance, the spokesman added.

Troops also recovered a radio set and a wire set to detonate the claymore mines, during the search operation, he added.