All measures to ensure safety of nation, people - Media Minister

Rohan MATHES

COLOMBO: Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday announced at the Information Department at Narahenpita that the Government was fully capable of meeting any challenges from the LTTE terrorists and wished to reassure the nation that all effective steps would be taken to ensure the safety of the nation and its people.

He told a media conference that the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) had received information that two LTTE light aircraft were approaching the Western coastal area around 1.30 am yesterday, when they were about 20 nautical miles away from Colombo and the air defence systems were activated.

Hence the aircraft had to turn back without reaching their targets.

As the air defence systems were activated, the two aircraft fled the area and dropped four explosive devices in Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela area around 1.50 a.m. There had been no casualties and only minor damages caused to the properties.

After activating the air defence systems, Air Force planes were also airborne as a defensive action, which had prevented the LTTE aircraft from achieving their destructive objective.

The Air Force had established that two light aircraft landed in the Iranamadu area and launched an aerial attack on several identified targets at Iranamadu in Kilinochchi at 5.30 a.m. yesterday.

The damages caused to enemy establishments are yet to be confirmed. The LTTE has started to use low-flying light aircraft for destructive actions since last month.

The Security Forces are ascertaining this new threat by low flying light aircraft and would take short and long term measures to detect and destroy the LTTE air capability and to ensure the safety and security of military, economic and civil establishments, Minister Yapa said.