Massive arms haul unearthed in Jaffna

MADUVIL: A record-breaking recovery of large amount of lethal arms ammunition and mines were made in the Maduvil, Jaffna on a combined search operation carried out by troops and policemen yesterday, the Army Media Unit said.

The Army Media statement:

"Troops on Thursday night unearthed 12 deadly LTTE claymore mines, a haul of arms, ammunition and explosives from the compound of a house abandoned by an LTTE Mahaveerar family in Maduvil area after civilians gave information to that effect.

The recovery of those explosives comprised 12 claymore mines, 39 handgrenades of different types, 50 detonators, 10 anti-personnel mines (APMs), eight rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), 110 TNT explosive sticks, 50 fuses, five pouches, 250 9mm pistol rounds, 10 rounds of .38 ammunition, five T-56 magazines, 1400 T-56 bullets, 10 camouflage uniform sets, several other warlike items and explosives weighing 75 kgs along with some appliances that could be used for criminal acts. This is the biggest ever recovery of LTTE claymore mines in a single instance after the LTTE entered into a Ceasefire Agreement with the Government in 2002.

Combined search and clear operations being conducted by policemen and troops in the Jaffna peninsula were intensified in the past few days after LTTE terrorists went on detonating claymore mines and hand grenades at Security Forces and Policemen on duty in the North and East.

Meanwhile, troops in the Kopay area on a tip-off received from a civilian detected another large LTTE claymore mine that was targeted at troops on Friday morning while it remained fixed on a tripod on the wayside in Kopay area of Jaffna.

The two feet long and one foot wide claymore bomb was about to be set off targeting the Security Forces who would be using the road in the area when the troops after information recovered it."