Surprise the key element as Forces capture Silavathura
Huge blow to Tigers' supply system, tax collection:
MAJOR VICTORY: The news about the military operation to liberate the
areas in the South of Mannar came as a surprise not only to the LTTE but
to the Security Forces.
Even the troops involved in the operation were informed about the
launch of the operation on Friday night after the decision was taken
last Friday at the National Security Council.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the nod for the launch of this
humanitarian operation after his arrival in
LTTE suicide boat |
Colombo from Kandy.
Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka moved the proposal to the
Security Council emphasising the need to liberate the area from the
clutches of the LTTE as Tigers were exploiting the population in
Silavatura, Arippu who made fishing their lifeline.
Security Forces have received enough proof to say that the LTTE
cadres mingling with the fishing community smuggle arms and ammunition
and fuel to the area as they were experiencing an acute shortage of fuel
in the unliberated areas.
One of the major contributing factors towards launching this
operation to liberate the area was due to the continuous threats posed
by the LTTE to military vehicles plying on the Mannar-Vavuniya road, the
only supply route connected to Mannar town.
The presence of Tiger cadres in the South of Mannar provided many
chances for the LTTE to cut off this Main Supply Route to Mannar and
isolate the Security Forces in a decisive battle that may erupt in the
Wanni under present conditions.
The possibility is very high with the strong presence of Tiger cadres
in the Vidithalthivu in the North of Mannar a few Kilometres away from
Mannar.
The LTTE is aware of this situation and made use of their presence in
the area to launch claymore attacks on a number of Security Forces
vehicles plying on the Vavuniya Mannar road.
The most recent attack was reported at Cheddikulam on the
Medawachchiya - Mannar road killing 10 soldiers, wounding 19 including
13 civilians on July 24 this year.
If the LTTE musters their resources and launches an attack on Police
posts or Army detachments established along the Mannar Vavuniya road,
they could have easily cut off the road to induct their cadres from
Wanni to South of Mannar in preparation of a major offensive against the
Security Forces.
The threats on the civilian population living in the border of
Puttalam and Anuradhapura districts was also a contributing factor for
the launch of this operation as it helps strengthening the security of
the settlements in Mahavilachchiya, Tantirimale and various other
villages.
Troops in Silavathura |
The LTTE posed a threat to many Home Guards deployed to secure these
villages. They were attacked recently by the Tiger cadres. Four Home
Guards were killed on July 24 in a pre dawn attack in Thiruwegama in the
border of Vavuniya.
Earlier in April seven villagers including six women were massacred
by the LTTE in Awaranthulawa, Paleuruwa in the border of Vavuniya.
In this backdrop it had become a compulsory factor for the Security
Forces to launch this operation to strengthen the security of these
villages.
From the Navy point of view the presence of the LTTE in Silavatura
and Arippu in the South was a greater threat for the Naval patrol craft
deployed for the security of Colombo harbour as the LTTE used to move to
attack Colombo harbour mingling with the fishermen.
Sea Tiger cadres make use of the license issued to fishermen in
Puttalam and Battalangunduwa to smuggle arms and ammunition to LTTE
controlled areas posing as civilian fishermen.
On many occasions Sea Tigers launched attacks on Naval troops
patrolling in the sea off Kalpitiya reaching the Naval craft in the
guise of fishermen.
Apart from this the LTTE also made use of the area to send suicide
cadres and explosives to Colombo from this area since it was the only
available route for the LTTE to send in their cadres to Colombo.
This background provided reasons for the Security Forces to launch
another humanitarian operation to liberate the area from the clutches of
the LTTE.
Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka along with Wanni Security
Forces Commander Major General Jagath Jayasuriya commanded the troops
engaged in the Silavatura operation.
The humanitarian operation was commenced without any operation plan
to maintain the secrecy of the
Arms and ammunition recovered in Silavathura |
operation as Security Forces did in the
Eastern operations too.
Arrangements were made through the Area Headquarters in Mannar under
the command of Brigadier Channa Goonetilleke, to accommodate the
civilians from Silavatura and Arippu at several welfare centres until
the humanitarian mission was completed.
According to statistics available with the Government Agent and the
Non Government Organisations operating in Silavatura and Mannar area,
there have been around 6,000 civilians in the area.
However the Security Forces realised that the figure was an
exaggerated one, as the total number of civilians arriving in the
cleared areas in Mannar did not exceed 3,000 even by Wednesday morning.
This number was reported except the civilians living in Mulliyavali
area in the South of Silavatura who had not arrived in Government held
areas even by Wednesday morning.
However, According to Mannar Government Agent Nicholes Pillai there
was a SoS call from the civilians living in Mulliyavali to reach
liberated areas as they have been already trapped in the area without
food.
Therefore, the Security Forces believe that either civilians have
left the area for various other places or the figure has been
exaggerated by the NGOs to bring in supplies to the area to feed the
LTTE as there were no other means for the LTTE to depend on food and
other essential items such as fuel.
With the civilians in Arippu, and Silavatura and Kondachchi arriving
in Murunakan and Nananddan, 1 SF troops commanded by Major Ihalagama
under the Command of SF Brigade Commander Nirmal Dharmaratna moved into
the area along with the 9 Gemunu Watch battalion commanded by Lt.
Colonel Pradeep Perera.
The leading role was played by the Special Forces troops under the
command of Colonel Nirmal Dharmaratne. Weeks prior to the launch of the
operation they inducted reckie teams in to the area to observe the
situation there and to cut off cut off all LTTE supply routes to the
area.
As SF troops completed their mission inside Silavatura the ground
troops were given instructions to move into the area in the early
Saturday morning troops attached to 8 GW move into the area along the
Murunkan Silavatura road.
Though they expected Tiger resistance at Kompansinthakulam bridge
across Malwathu Oya or Arivu Aru they faced no resistance.
The 9 Gemunu Watch, 8 Sinha Regiment and 10 Gajaba Regiment were used
to cut off the supply routes while Special Forces troops played the
leading role.
The Bravo Company of the 8 GW battalion, commanded by Captain Imesh
Habadivulvewa took control of the bridge which was earlier used by the
LTTE as a tax collecting centre from the people and from the tractors
transporting sand.
Passes issued to fishermen by Navy, recovered at Sea Tiger Base |
As Bravo Company took control of the bridge with no resistance
Charley Company of the 9GW under the leadership of Captain Bandaranaike
moved towards Chaddyappankulam junction on the Murunkan - Silavatura
road.
From the Silavatura junction on the Murunkan - Silavatura junction
two companies Delta Company under the leadership of Captain MUC Perera
and Delta Company led by Captain Sampath moved in two directions to take
control of Arippu.
As troops of the 9 Gemunu Watch were taking control of Arippu
Silavatura was sealed off completely by the 9 GW troops. The troops
attached to 8 Sinha Regiment were helidropped from Vavuniya to
completely cut off Silavatura from the South.
Each Battalion has been given different tasks and were not aware of
the other battalions involved in the operations. By the time 8SR troops
were heli dropped to Kajuwatta area, 9 GW troops were not aware of their
movements.
Surprise was fully maintained during the whole operation and 8 SR
troops along with the 1 SF troops advanced towards the Silavatura from
Kajuwatta area. By Sunday morning troops took full control of Silavatura
capturing a Sea Tiger base.
Two Tiger cadres the intelligence leader and the political leader of
Silavatura area were killed in a claymore attack with Special Forces
troops cutting off the supply routes to the area.
Troops believe that many Tiger cadres fled the area by sea southwards
and towards the Vedithalthivu north of Mannar despite the rough sea
conditions in the area.
Despite the rough seas the Army started sending supplies to ground
troops in Arippu by boat from Vankalai.
By Monday troops further advanced towards Kondachchi to take full
control of the Silavatura area and consolidate their position in
Silavatura.
Troops conducting search and clear operations in Silavatura found a
Sea Tiger base along with ten boats and a suicide boat. Large stocks of
RPG bombs, hand grenades, T-56 ammunition, detonators and explosives
left behind by the fleeing Tiger cadres were recovered from the area.
The clandestine operations conducted by the Sea Tiger cadres were
apparent during this search operations as troops found a few fishing
boats fitted with claymore mines into the fibreglass bodies of the
fishing boats.
It is very difficult to identify these suicide boats as they are
similar to the normal fishing boats. They could be identified only by
the detonator wires fixed to the boats.
The number of licences issued to civilians by the Navy to engage in
fishing has also been recovered from this Sea Tiger base.
The recovery of these civilian identity cards from the Sea Tiger base
very clearly indicates that the LTTE was using the licences issued for
fishermen to smuggle arms and ammunition to their Tiger bases.
That was how the LTTE launched an attack on Naval craft in
Battalangunduwa posing themselves as fishermen. With the use of these
suicide boats the LTTE can reach the Navy boats and destroy them once
they reach close to these boats to check their identity.
The troops have taken shelter at Government buildings like Divisional
Secretariat offices, schools and other public offices in Arippu and
Silavatura without touching any private property belonging to the
civilians who left the area with the advancement of troops.
Civilians who had left the area with the advancement of troops
towards Silavatura, have now taken refuge at Don Bosco Church in
Murunkan and Nanaddan Maha Vidyalaya until the Security Force declare
the area free of LTTE threat.
These civilians now come out with the suffering they had undergone at
the hands of the LTTE as they had to live under the pressure of the
LTTE. One Vijayalakshmi who had arrived there in Silavatura from
Kebithigollewa area had not been allowed to go back to her village.
She has been asked to live with her relatives there in Silavatura and
had not been allowed to use even a telephone suspecting that she would
give information to Security Forces.
These civilians are willing to return to their villages under the
protection of the Security Forces to live a normal life like the
civilians living in other parts of the country.
Therefore, they will soon be given the chance to return their
villages very soon as Security Forces have almost completed their task
of clearing the area in Silavatura to establish civilian administration.
Though some elements describe the victory of the Security Forces in
Silavatura as mere capture of lands with no Tiger resistance, it was the
strategy adopted by the Security Forces to liberate the area that
compelled the LTTE to flee from the area.
Though the LTTE highly boasted about the fighting capabilities they
were not capable of fighting a professional Army. What they should
consider is that these type of military successes will definitely will
pave the way for the success in future operations in the Wanni to
capture LTTE strongholds.
No strong Army can capture any territory without moving to the target
step by step. The task before the Security Forces is to liberate the
civilian population from the clutches of the LTTE to free them from the
harassments of the LTTE.
It is absolutely nonsensical to think of capturing Mullaitivu and
Kilinochchi directly without liberating the people in other parts in the
North and East.
That should be done considering the manpower and the firepower
available with the Armed Forces. Now the Forces are on track to achieve
their task once the time is ripe for them to move into the strongholds
in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. |