Forces set to free Mavilaru

Encounter heavy minefield during advance:

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

MAVILARU: The Government yesterday expressed confidence that Security Forces will effectively reach its humanitarian task of opening the Mavilaru anicut as ground troops moved closer to their target clearing a heavy minefield set by the LTTE.

Government Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the Daily News that the movements of the ground troops will be slower when they reach closer to the Mavilaru anicut as the LTTE has heavily mined the area.

However, the Minister said the Security Forces are very effectively engaged in this humanitarian task and the target will be achieved as soon as possible despite the obstacles placed by the LTTE.

The Security Forces commenced this limited operation with the clear objective of securing the water supply to the civilian population by opening the Mavilaru anicut which was forcibly closed by the LTTE cutting off the water supply to over 60,000 people and over 30,000 acres of paddy lands.

Military sources told the Daily News that the Commandos of the Sri Lanka Army were 700 metres away from the anicut by yesterday afternoon and they were determined to reach their task yesterday itself. However, the heavy mine fields had slowed their movement towards the anicut, the source added.

"The Security Forces faced no retaliation from the LTTE side till yesterday afternoon but we have got information that LTTE cadres were gathering in the Verugalaru area to launch an attack on the Security Forces as they move closer to the anicut," sources added.

The area in which the Mavilaru anicut is located was controlled by the Security Forces prior to the 2002 Ceasefire agreement and LTTE dominated the area after the camp there was removed by the Security Forces.

However, Security Forces aim to hold the area after establishing an Army detachment there on reaching their target, to guard the anicut.

Ground troops engaged in this limited operation commenced moving towards Mavilaru from Kallar junction, five kilometres away from the anicut after bringing reinforcements to the area on Saturday.

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets bombed identified LTTE targets in Verugal and Mavilaru from Wednesday evening to pave way for the ground troops to move towards the anicut.

More than 20 LTTE cadres were reportedly killed in these aerial bombings and the largest number of LTTE cadres were killed as the Air Force bombed the Thenaham conference centre in Karadiyanaru in Batticaloa on Saturday.

"More aerial bombing can be expected to neutralise LTTE targets before the impending task of the Security Forces," Minister Rambukwella said.