Air strike on LTTE leadership confab

Site turned into inferno:

Rafik Jalaldeen

MULLAITHIVU: Air Force fighter jets yesterday bombed a location where a leadership meeting of the LTTE was in progress in Mullaithivu inflicting large scale death and destruction on the outfit.

Security sources said the pilots had observed a massive inferno following the bombings of the building network which also served as an ammunition dump.

"The precise target was destroyed while the LTTE high rankers were gathered," Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. Fighter jets Mig27 and Kafir carried out the air strike targeting the key tiger position in Vishvamadu in the Tiger stronghold of Mullaithivu at around 12.15 p.m.

"The target was accurate and precise according to the ground intelligence and air based surveillance," the Brigadier said.

He said the air strike was carried out while the LTTE leaders were gathered at a meeting. This was a location where key LTTE leaders met regularly to discuss military strategy.

"We are yet unable to confirm the number of casualties as the target was located in the uncleared area", he added.

Air Force fighters also confirmed that the aim was accurate and that a huge fire was observed. The Vishvamadu base was one of the key LTTE bases in the North, Brigadier said.

"The air strike was carried out on the LTTE base complex also consisting of an arms an ammunition dump which exploded in the strike.

"The LTTE Headquarters 'Imran Pandian' regiment also was located in the vicinity. From this base the Tiger cadres were ferrying weapons to other locations," he pointed out. Meanwhile, three civilians were injured in an LTTE claymore blast targeting the STF foot patrol yesterday at around 2.05 p.m. in Chawalakade, Ampara.

According to Brigadier Nanayakkara the LTTE cadres detonated a claymore mine targeting the STF in Chawalakada, Ampara-Kalmunai road.

"Three civilians who were travelling in a cab got caught to the LTTE claymore mine and were severely injured in the blast," he added.

The injured civilians were admitted to the Kalmunai hospital.