69 LTTEers killed in Chenmamgundu air strike

Ranil Wijayapala

The Security Forces, through the intercepted radio communications of the LTTE yesterday got the confirmation that 69 Tiger cadres have been killed in the air raid and subsequent artillery attack on an LTTE target in Chenmamgundu in Pooneryn on September 25.

A Spokesman for the Media Centre for National Security told the Daily News yesterday that it was revealed that the fighter jets of the SLAF hit the target in Chenmamgundu in Pooneryn while LTTE cadres were engaged in a rehearsal at a passing out ceremony.

The SLAF fighter jets carried out the air attack around 12.30 p.m on September 25. Subsequently the Army also launched an artillery attack at 4.30 p.m on the same day. The Security Forces got this confirmation weeks after the air attack after intercepting LTTE radio communication.

LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has recently appointed LTTE political leader S.P. Thamilselvan as the military leader for Pooneryn area with the area becoming vital in their military strategies to pose a major threat to the Jaffna peninsula with their long range artillery guns located in the Pooneryn area.

This will be a severe blow to the LTTE as they are already undergoing severe hardship to recruit more cadres to strengthen their fighting cadres.