Sea Tiger bid to enter Trinco foiled

Rafik Jalaldeen

TRINCOMALEE: Security Forces foiled a bid by a group of Sea Tiger cadres to enter Trincomalee in a flotilla of boats through Pulmoddai yesterday morning. An LTTE boat carrying explosives was destroyed in the fire fighting, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

A fierce fight erupted in the seas off Pulmoddai on Tuesday night after ground troops detected a cluster of boats moving from South of Mullaitivu towards Trincomalee between Kokkuthuduwai and Pulmoddai. “The Security Forces fired heavy artillery, mortar and small arms at the cluster of LTTE boats.

The fight lasted till 3.30 a.m. yesterday”, Brigadier Nanayakkara said.

According to Navy spokesman Commander D.P.K. Dassanayake, around 20 LTTE boats which arrived from Alampil and Nayaru on Tuesday at around 8.30 p.m. suddenly dropped anchor at Pulmoddai for more than two hours.

Later, the boats started to move slowly towards Kokkuthuduwai which is two nautical miles south of Nayaru. “It was a kind of sea Tiger tactic to keep a distance and launch surprise attacks. The Navy patrol had detected their movement very closely. Once they reached Kokkuthudwai the Navy fired mortars with the assistance of ground troops”, he added.

“A fierce fire fight erupted and lasted till early morning yesterday . The LTTE boats retreated towards Alampil and Nayaru in the face of retaliatory attacks by the Naval patrol supported by ground troops”, Commander Dassanayaka said.

He said there was no immediate confirmation of the casualty figures on both sides.

However, Brigadier Nanayakkara said it was confirmed that an LTTE boat was destroyed by the Security Forces believed to be carrying explosives. “The effective fire by the Security Forces have forced other LTTE boats to abandon their mission”, the Brigadier stressed.