Thoppigala: Tigers lose last stronghold in East as troops end noble mission on triumphant note

GREAT VICTORY: The jubilant troops led by the 2nd Commando Regiment made their way to Baron's Cap on Wednesday morning to reach their final target in the East, ending their month long mission in the Thoppigala jungles.

The mission they commenced in May this year to give a final blow to the LTTE entrapped in their last bastion in the East was completed with the capture of the Baron's Cap and the fluttering of the national flag on the rock by Commando troops.

At last the troops stood victorious in the Eastern theatre after completing their year long mission commencing from Mavil Aru battle on July 26 last year to restore water supply to more than 30,000 residents south of Trincomalee, clearing the entire East from Tiger threats.

The Tiger outfit now sees the repercussions of the inhumane act committed by them by closing down the sluice gates of the Mavil Aru Anicut exactly one year ago in June last year depriving water to 30,000 people.

The Security Forces reacted to this inhumane act humanely and they are now reaping the harvest of humanity they cultivated for one year in the Eastern province.

The LTTE counted their defeats from Mavil Aru to Thoppigala which flowed through Muttur, Sampur, Eethalampattu, Kathirveli, Vakarai, Kokkadicholai, Vavunathivu, Karadiyanaru to see an end to their say in the Eastern province.

Troops of the 2 and 3 Commando Regiments, 6,7,8 and 9 battalions of the Gemunu Watch, 1 Sinha Regiment, 10 Gajaba Regiment, Engineering Regiment Armoured Corps and Artillery Regiment contributed to the victory in Thoppigala and completed their mission in the East.

The victory marks the liberation of Thoppigala after 14 years of Tiger dominance which fell into the hands of the LTTE in 1995 when troops were withdrawn from the area for the Riviresa operation in Jaffna.

Prior to the breakaway, Karuna dominated the whole Thoppigala area and maintained west and south of Batticaloa as major income generating sources to the Tiger outfit and also as the biggest recruitment base.

The Tiger outfit had taken the vast paddy lands belonging to Tamils and Muslims after chasing them from their villages and cultivated these lands by using forcibly recruited cadres.

Even today the areas adjacent to Thoppigala jungles give a clear idea how the LTTE exploited this fertile land for their needs. The bunkers made out of sacks filled with paddy gives a clear idea of how Tiger cadres misused this fertile land to achieve their goals.

Cannabis cultivations in the Thoppigala jungles also provided the LTTE a major income source. The Tiger outfit had deployed their men for the sole purpose of cultivating cannabis in these jungle patches.

As the Tiger outfit was aware of these facts, they made many attempts to prevent the Security Forces moving

 into this territory.

They deployed many of their cadres to strengthen the FDLs they were maintaining at Black Bridge and Pillumalai on the Chenkaladi - Maha Oya road and Vavunathivu FDL.

The Security Forces have also been alerted about Tiger plans to blast the Unnichchiya tank bund if they observed troop movement towards the west and south of Batticaloa to create a major flood in Batticaloa town.

Having given serious thought to Tiger plans, Security Forces made a tactical move towards the area by inducting Commando troops from Kohombagasthalawa on the Ampara Maha Oya road on February 25 marking the commencement of the operation in the west and south of Batticaloa.

Along with the Commando troops 7 SLII battalion, and 6,7 and 8 Gemunu watch battalions moved to the Tiger territory to hold the areas captured by the commando troops assaulting the Tigers from the rear.

Then they moved towards Unnichchiya tank and captured Southern sluice gates of the tank and later created a line linking to Vavunathivu via Pavakkudichanai.

This tactical move helped the Security Forces to separate the Tiger strength in the west and south of Batticaloa into two and move into clear Tiger stronghold in Kokkadicholai, Vellaveli, Mandur, Kovilporathivu and Thikkodai.

The second stage of the operation began with troops in Vavunathivu moving to Karadiyanaru creating another defence line, further separating the Tiger cadres trapped in the west of Batticaloa while another battalion in Unnichchiya tank moved towards Rugam on the Chenkaladi-Maha Oya road.

AT THE HELM: Clockwise from left: Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Air Force Commander Roshan Gunatillake, IGP Victor Perera and Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda.

With the completion of this stage the troops in the south and west of Batticaloa could take the full control of the Chenkaladi - Maha Oya A-5 road on April 11 at 2.10 pm securing the areas in Poduwakattu, Iluppadichena, Karadiyanaru, Rugam and Pullimalai on the A-5 road.

The troops from 2 Commando Regiment, 7 Sri Lanka Light Infantry and 6,7 and 8 Gemunu Watch participated in the battle to capture the A-5 road.

After the capture of the A-5 road the 7 SLII battalion was replaced by 1 Sinha Regiment.

The Tiger leadership in Wanni was shaken with the troops capturing the A-5 road and nearly 80 cadres under the leadership of Ramesh were sent from Wanni via thick jungle patches in Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts to strengthen their strongholds in Thoppigala.

However, Security forces detected this movement and engaged them when they were crossing Angodawilluwa south west of Trincomalee on April 12.

Ramesh had a narrow escape but 'Lt. Colonel' Ashok, Ramesh's buddy and the doctor who accompanied the team were killed in the attack.

However, troops attached to 2 Commando supported by 6, 7 and 8 Gemunu Watch, Armoured Corps and Artillery commenced the final lap of the operations to fully liberate the East from the Tiger grip on April 25.

Their aim was to clear the Tiger camp complexes in Thoppigala jungles bordering to Polonnaruwa Batticaloa A-15 road from the North, Maduru Oya from the West and Maha Oya - Chenkaladi road from the East and South.

The task before them was enormous since the terrain before them was thick jungle with mountains and rocks giving full advantage to the enemy rather than to the advancing troops.

Commando troops gave the lead moving to Tiger territory and identifying and destroying their gun positions. The 6, 7, 8 Gemunu Watch maintained a defence line after the capture of the areas by the Commando troops.

The troops observed that the Tiger outfit had developed a well planned network of supply routes to the Thoppigala jungles as they advanced towards Tiger territory.

All those roads were connected to Chenkaladi Maha Oya road and troops found many causeways and bridges which were not found in the road maps of the Survey Department when advancing towards Tiger bases in Narakamulla and Pankudaveli.

The road leading from Illuppadichenai on the A-5 road to Vadamunai via Narakamulla, a road constructed using

Government funds during the Ceasefire has been frequently used by the Tiger outfit as their main supply route to Narakamulla.

Troops moved to Tiger territory from the Chenkaladi Maha Oya road towards the West crossing the Lavini Aru and braving Tiger mortar fire, anti-personnel mines and booby traps.

By mid of June the troops advanced towards Narakamulla south from the west while troops from Iluppadichenai also advanced towards Narakamulla from the east sealing off the area entire area.

However, Security Forces found that Tiger cadres were fleeing from the area abandoning their camp complexes. They later decided to induct troops from the 9 Gemunu Watch and 10 Gajaba from the Maduru Oya side in the West of Narakamulla and from the North of Baron's Cap.

This helped the troops to encircle the entire Toppigala area and conduct search and clear operations to remove booby traps and Anti Personnel mines that hindered troop advancement towards Tiger territory.

With these developments the Tiger leadership made an announcement allowing newly recruited cadres and married cadres to leave the organisation as they were not in a position to keep them within the organisation.

Amid this situation many cadres surrendered to the Security Forces crossing the Santhiveli lagoon and to the troops in the battle front. Apart from these Tiger cadres many have been reunited with their families in the Batticaloa district after fleeing the Tiger outfit risking their lives.

Since the commencement of operation in the West and South of Batticaloa more than 600 cadres have reunited with their families and an equal number surrendered to Security Forces.

With the successful hits taken by the Security Forces in Narakamulla South on June 16, troops advanced towards major Tiger bases in Narakamulla and Tharavikulam later.

However, six Security Forces personnel including two officers attached to the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps were

 killed on July 6 as they come under LTTE attack from the East of Barons' Cap and West of Tharavi area.

That was the highest number of Security Forces personnel killed during the operation to wrest control of the Thoppigala. During the entire operation only 18 soldiers were killed and 68 soldiers sustained injuries.

A number of soldiers lost their limbs due to heavy mine fields set by the fleeing Tiger cadres and also the booby traps set by them in their abandoned camps.

On the LTTE side 211 LTTE cadres have been killed during Thoppigala operation and the number exceeds 500 in the operations conducted in the west and south of Batticaloa.

However, the troops are still conducting search operations in Vadamunai in the West of Baron's Cap area to flush out pockets of Tiger cadres scattered all along the thick jungle in Thoppigala.

However, clearing of the East does not mean that the possibility for the LTTE to create panic situation in the East has been totally removed. The LTTE may try to take the control of the East by various means.

With the loss of the East, the Tiger outfit has a few options to exert pressures on the Security Forces to show their strength and to make a influence in the Eastern theatre. The three options available with the LTTE is to launch attacks on Weli Oya sector, Mannar, Vavuniya or Jaffna.

However, the Tiger outfit has no strength to launch a massive attack on the FDLs either in Jaffna or the Jaffna islands.

At a time the LTTE is facing a shortage of manpower as well as arms and ammunition the possibilities are very thin for the LTTE to go for such an attack.

Even the possibility for an attack in Vavuniya are also very thin since they cannot make any impact on civilian life by launching such an attack on Vavuniya as most residents are Tamils.

An attack on Mannar will also make no impact since there is no major civilian settlement to be affected in such an attack.

Considering the threat perspective possibilities are very high for the LTTE to launch a massive assault on the Weli Oya sector as they can make a big impact on the Government because thousands of Sinhala villages living in this area could be displaced.

The Sinhala settlement from Weli Oya upto Kokilai has become a barrier for the LTTE to keep their supply link between Mullaitivu and Trincomalee via land and the LTTE will make this move to create link to the East if they desperately need to create a sphere of influence in the Eastern sector.

Under these circumstances it is most likely that the LTTE would use Oddusudan and Nedunkerni as the launching pad to attack Weli Oya as they are having a good supply route network connecting the area directly with Mullaitivu.

Therefore, the villages of Ethavetunuvewa located very close to the Nedunkerni area will be vulnerable to Tiger attacks and even for attacks in the nature of Kebithigollewa.

The red alert maintained by the Security Forces and the Police for more than one year should not be relaxed at any moment as the Tiger outfit is awaiting such a moment to reverse the victories achieved by the Security Forces in the East any moment.

The Government must now begin the long process of developing the East and establishing civil administration while ensuring security throughout the country.

President expresses gratitude to Forces, Police

COLOMBO: In a message issued on the completion of the humanitarian mission in the East, President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday expressed his gratitude to the Security Forces and the Police, including the STF, for capturing the last Tiger stronghold in Thoppigala.

The President said the Government and the people were grateful to the heroic personnel for their selfless dedication towards this objective.

He said the nation would never forget the Forces and Police personnel who made the supreme sacrifice and sustained injuries and disabilities during this mission to liberate the East.

Liberation of East a historic event - PM

COLOMBO: The liberation of the East from the LTTE terrorists by our heroic Security Forces personnel and police successfully completing their operations from Mavil Aru to Thoppigala is a historic event which will enable Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala communities in the East to live free from terrorist shackles, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake in a message issued yesterday.

The Prime Minister said people's support was necessary to maintain this victory. The message said Thoppigala was considered an impregnable terrorist fortress and overrunning it was no simple task.

If anyone tried to describe it as a simple task it would amount to belittling our war heroes. It was the duty of every patriot to offer moral strength to our heroic forces personnel and police.

Certain people who tried to ridicule the Security Forces' victory at Thoppigala were only aiding and abetting the LTTE and they would be totally rejected by the masses.

The Prime Minister expressed his deepest sympathies to the families of Security Forces and police personnel who sacrificed their lives in the Thoppigala battle and wished quick recovery to those injured.

LTTE accepts defeat

Hours after losing their only stronghold in Eastern Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam acknowledged the capture of Thoppigala by Government troops. LTTE spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan said the Government Forces have captured the area.

Major victory achieved by Security Forces - Defence Secy

COLOMBO: The capture of Thoppigala, the last bastion of the LTTE terrorists during the operation to liberate the East is a major victory achieved not only by the Security Forces but all sections of the Community including the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims living in the East, said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in a message issued yesterday.

The correct leadership given by Commanders of the three Forces and the IGP since the assumption of office of the incumbent President was a major factor which contributed towards this victory.

Specially the field experience of the three Forces' Chiefs and the IGP and their dedication and leadership was a great source of strength and assistance towards this long march of victory in Thoppigala, the Defence Secretary said in his message.

The message added that the capture of Thoppigala was a victory achieved by a campaign to defeat terrorism launched by the Security Forces without any political influence.

The Government under the correct leadership of the President understood the moral strength and the self-confidence of the Forces and conducted them in their forward march on the war front.

The Defence Secretary further stated in his message that he would take this opportunity to express his gratitude to the war heroes who were acting with great self-sacrifice to save the country from terrorism and usher peace. The dedication, effort and gallantry shown by them in the battle field should be highly appreciated.

Whatever stand taken and criticisms levelled about this victory by groups with divergent political views no one would be able to obstruct the forward march of these heroic soldiers which will continue until terrorism was defeated and peace established in this country.

Political parties, religious organisations hail victory

Chamikara Weerasinghe

COLOMBO: Many political parties and religious organisations have expressed their gratitude to the Security Forces and the police for liberating Thoppigala from the grip of LTTE terrorism.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya in a press statement said, they pay tribute to the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and Police for their dedicated task in achieving this success.

The Urumaya's statement said that Prabhakaran's expectations with regard to the Eastern Province was never small. This was the area he was planning to set up his imaginary capital and granaries in accordance with his separatist aims.

This victory by the Security Forces has dealt a heavy blow on Prabhakaran's dream of forming his separate Eelam state in the country, the statement said. "We stand with our valiant soldiers every step of the way until they fully liberate the country from terrorism."

Leader of the Democratic Group of UNP, Karu Jayasuriya in a press statement said: "We are extremely happy that the Armed Forces and the the Police Force were able to successfully conclude their operation in the Eastern Province thus liberating the innocent civilians from brutal suppression of terrorism.

"We believe that to make this victory meaningful and truly shared by the people, it would be required to restore civil administration , law and order in the area, to get democratic institutions functioning as soon as possible."

The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) said the Security Forces have proved their worth debunking all that was said against them before, belittling their hard-earned victories by various elements from the time the Forces liberated the Mavilaru anicut from the LTTE.

The Forces have exposed elements who belittled them in their victories, the MEP said.

"We recognise the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa which was instrumental in boosting the morale of the Security Forces".

The Sri Lanka Buddhist Congress in a statement said that they have no doubts that not only the citizens of this country but also the peace loving public across the world celebrate this great victory over terrorism by the Security Forces.

The National Bhikkhu Front (NBF) yesterday commended the victory achieved by the Security Forces by capturing the entire Eastern Province with the fall of Thoppigala. "Our war heroes have successfully captured the Eastern province giving a new strength to the three Armed Forces and the Nation at large.

This clearly proves that any adversary can be defeated through battle for the sake of the motherland," an NBF media release said.

"Therefore the patriotic Bhikkhus and entire nation should salute our war heroes for their great victory achieved."

The NBF pointed out that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe or the UNP has been unable to comment even on this victory.

Even certain media and vicious forces are stunned by this defeat inflicted on separatism. However, these separatists and other imperial forces who have been defeated from this land will not stop their campaign. Therefore, military operations should be launched immediately to capture the Northern province from the LTTE's hands, the release said.

"In order to turn the victory achieved in the Eastern province into a genuine victory, the Northern Province should also be released from the LTTE grip and completely free the country from the separatist menace," the release said.

The North and East Provinces were merged by force through the Indo-Lanka agreement. Later, the Eastern Province was handed over to the LTTE for its exclusive control through the MoU signed by Ranil Wickremesinghe with Prabhakaran.

Steps should be taken to ensure that democracy in the Eastern Province is established and the normal life of the people restored based on the Supreme Court judgement given by declaring the East as a separate province, the release added.

Presidential Advisor and Muslim National Alliance (MNA) Secretary-General Nazeer Ahmed congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa and the Armed Forces for capturing Thoppigala.

"The capture will deal a devastating blow to the Tigers, morale," he said in a release. Ahamed said we must spare a thought for the brave soldiers who sacrificed their precious lives for the battle for Thoppigala.