Army clearing mines in Sampur

COLOMBO: Army engineers are now in the process of clearing mines in the areas consolidated by them in Sampur, the Defence information centre said.

According to Lt.Col. Sarath Wijesinghe the Brigade Commander of 222, the Security Forces have taken control of the area from Kattaparichchan to the Sampur light house.

"The morale of the Army personnel remain high and they have seized several LTTE locations in Sampur," he said.

Along with the aerial support of the Air Force several LTTE camps and bunkers have been destroyed by the Armed Forces during their operation to take control of Sampur.

Around eight LTTE bunkers were completely destroyed and two of their check points were over run by the Security Forces in Sampur.

More than 200 LTTE cadres were killed by the advancing military columns, the Brigade Commander said.

The LTTE offices to extort money,their court house and various other buildings administered by the outfit have been now taken control by the security forces.

Meanwhile, special teams of military engineers have been currently deployed in Sampur to free the areas from anti-personnel mines, booby traps and other types of mines planted by the LTTE in Sampur. During the past several days the troops engaged in mine clearing operations have unearthed a large number of mines from the region.

"At present the civilians who fled from the area when the operation started are now gradually returning to their homes in Sampur," sources at the Defence Information Centre said.