LTTE artillery positions identified

Rafik Jalaldeen

COLOMBO: Security Forces have identified the location from where the artillery was fired by the LTTE targeting Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, foreign diplomats and NGO officials on Tuesday morning injuring ten persons including two Ambassadors, Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said.

Brigadier Samarasinghe said the LTTE communications intercepted by the Forces revealed that the LTTE fired 120mm mortars from Palakuda and Kanankuda.

The LTTE was fully aware of the arrival of the delegation to assess the present humanitarian situation in the East. “It was a pre-planned attack targeted foreign diplomats,” the Brigadier added.

He said that the time and place were accurate and the LTTE received the information before the arrival of the delegations. The first aircraft carrying NGO officials and Security Forces landed at the Air Force base and other two aircraft (MI-17 and Bell 212) came under attack while landing at the Weber stadium.

“The LTTE cadres who fled from Vakarai moved to Thoppigala and from the Thoppigla area the Tigers are firing mortars towards Army positions. The Security Forces are consolidating their positions and liberating tiger controlled areas to resettle the civilians,” he added.