LTTE lays 1,000 kg bombs on road to Vakarai to prevent transportation of food supplies to uncleared areas

BATTICALOA: As many international and local organisations in Batticaloa are taking measures to carry food items in a large convoy of over seventy five vehicles to the uncleared Vakarai area, it had been revealed that the LTTE during the last few days had laid heavy mines and 1,000 kg bombs on nodal points and bottle necks on the road to prevent them being carried to the uncleared areas.

The decision to organise a large food convoy to the Vakarai area was taken after a discussion held on November 24 at Batticaloa by representatives of various international and local organisations who are concerned of these besieged civilians.

The aim of this convoy planned is to stockpile food for these innocent civilians at Vakarai to suffice for one month considering the bad weather that is expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the Security Forces had received very reliable information that the LTTE had strapped the Panichchankerani Bridge in mid October 2006 with four heavy unexploded bombs each weighing a thousand kgs.

The Panichchankerni Bridge which is located at around ten kms South of Vakarai is a bottle neck on the route to Vakarai from Valachchanai.

This information had been confirmed by a LTTE cadre who surrendered named Selvadorai Mahendran on November 14 to the Security Forces at Mankerni.

These unexploded bombs could be extremely dangerous as there are chances of them exploding due to a slight shock (sympathetic detonation) causing danger to the civilians passing by.

This situation had been informed in a letter sent to the SLMM by the Security Forces Commanders in the area yesterday.

The Senior Military Commander in the area had requested the SLMM to conduct a proper inspection before allowing any movement over this bridge and to take necessary action to prevent such activities by the terrorists.