Navy foils escape bid of trapped LTTEers in East

Rafik JALALDEEN

TRINCOMALEE: The Navy yesterday foiled an LTTE attempt to rescue its cadres trapped in the East killing six Sea Tigers and injuring several others.

An LTTE boat was also completely destroyed in the attack launched after a Navy patrol detected two LTTE boats in the sea off Pulmodai early yesterday, Navy spokesman Commander D. P. K. Dassanayake said.

A Navy Fast Attack Craft (FAC) patrol in the East coastal area spotted around 15 boats whose movement aroused the Navy personnel’s suspicion. The boats were moving from Nayaru towards the Pulmodai sea area around midnight.

“When the Navy FAC approached the boats, the LTTE opened fire. The Naval troops countered the fire successfully sinking an LTTE boat while inflicting heavy damage on the fleeing boats,” Commander Dassanayake said.

The distance between Nayaru and Pulmodai is 10 nautical miles.

LTTE communication intercepts confirmed that six LTTE cadres were killed and more than 10 others injured. “The attack lasted for three hours till 2.30 a.m yesterday,” he said.

Three sailors injured in the clash have been admitted to the Trincomalee hospital.

Meanwhile, three LTTE cadres were killed and 10 others injured in a confrontation with Security Forces on Sunday night in Pulmodai.

According to Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, an Army patrol detected a group of LTTE cadres moving towards the Pulmodai coastal area on Sunday around 11.30 p.m.

“The Army laid an ambush and killed three LTTE cadres and injured 10 others,” he added.

A bid to rescue marooned Tiger cadres were foiled by Security Forces both on ground and sea.

“We now believe that the remaining stranded LTTE cadres in the jungle, North Trincomalee are attempting to flee towards Mullaitivu through the sea. Security Forces foiled these ground and sea attempts successfully,” the Brigadier said.