Thoppigala troops enhance surveillance

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

THOPPIGALA: Troops engaged in the final phase of the Thoppigala battle enhanced their search and clear operations braving booby traps set by fleeing Tiger cadres.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told the Daily News that many Tiger cadres were fleeing the area abandoning their camps and surrendering to the Security Forces in Batticaloa.

“A number of Tiger cadres surrendered to the Security Forces within the past few days,” the Brigadier added.

Unconfirmed reports from the area also said a large number of fleeing cadres had surrendered to the TMVP political offices run by Karuna faction cadres.

“There is no stiff resistance from the Tiger cadres but the troops are extremely careful about the booby traps set by the fleeing cadres in their abandoned camps,” Brigadier Samarasinghe added.

One soldier was killed and two soldiers injured on Wednesday when they were caught in a booby trap set by the LTTE in an abandoned camp. Troops on Thursday captured another Tiger camp where the LTTE is believed to have detained 73 civilians as reported in the media recently.

Apart from this the troops engaged in the operation also found a brand new Nissan Sunny car, believed to have been used by one of the top Tiger leaders who fled the area in the face of the advancing troops in Veppavadduvan area in the general area of Narakamulla.