Surrendered Tigers rejoin families

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: Even as the Security Forces forged ahead with completing the final phase of the Thoppigala battle braving booby traps and minefields they also took steps to hand over 43 young LTTE cadres who surrendered to the Army after deserting the outfit to their families.

The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said yesterday that the young LTTE cadres who abandoned Tiger camps in Thoppigala voluntarily and surrendered to the Army in Batticaloa, had requested Security Forces to hand them over to their families.

“Considering their request the youth were handed over to their families on the agreement that they would return to participate in rehabilitation programmes,” the MCNS said.

According to military sources many of the LTTE cadres fled the battlefront in Thoppigala in face of the advancing troops.

A few weeks back the LTTE also made an announcement permitting the newly recruits to leave the organisation as they could not retain them within the organisation.

“Surrendered cadres had revealed to the Security Forces that the LTTE leadership is falling apart in the face of the successful humanitarian mission carried out by the Security Forces in the East,” the MCNS added.

The MCNS said the cadres who escaped the LTTE have informed the Security Forces that there are a large number of fighters waiting to escape the LTTE.

According to military sources in Batticaloa, the total strength of the LTTE in the Batticaloa has reduced almost to 100 from a total strength of 1,600 cadres they had prior to the commencement of the military operations in the West and South of Batticaloa. Apart from the surrendered cadres, many have also reunited with their families resettled in their villages in Batticaloa after fleeing the Tigers.

Sources also added that more than 300 Tiger cadres have been killed in the military operations in the South and West of Batticaloa since February 25 this year.