Thalladi Church destroyed in Tiger attack

Ranil Wijayapala

MANNAR: The LTTE yesterday launched a barrage of artillery towards Thalladi in Mannar destroying the highly venerated St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Mannar, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the Daily News."The LTTE fired 15 rounds of 130 mm artillery towards the Church premise around 9 a.m. yesterday causing heavy damage to the Church," the Brigadier added.

According to the Military Spokesman six soldiers from the adjoining Army camp who had been deployed to clean the Church on a request made by group of priests visited the Church on Monday were also killed due to this artillery fire. Military sources also added that nearly 10 soldiers had sustained injuries in this artillery attack.

According to Brigadier Nanayakkara, the soldiers attached to the nearby Army camp were deployed to clean this Church as a group of Catholic priests who visited this Church on Monday afternoon made a request their assistance to clean the Church to conduct a religious ceremony there tomorrow.

A group of clergymen Rev. Fr. Thevaraja, Rev. Fr. Arunraj, Rev. Fr. Nevin, Rev. Fr. Kulas and Rev. Bro.Laxstent had visited the location on Monday around 12 noon and made this request from the Army.

"The artillery fire from the LTTE was directed to the location after the visit made by this Catholic priests to this location," the Brigadier added.

"Until the visit made by the Catholic priests the location remained safe," Brigadier Nanayakkara added. It was in January 29, the LTTE first fired 130 mm artillery round towards Adampan area for the first time in the recent past and this was the second time LTTE came out with this type of artillery attack.

On Saturday the LTTE took the cover of the sacred Madhu Church in Mannar to fire 80 mm mortar towards the advancing troops in Mannar and Vavuniya fronts as they were heavily beaten at the hands of the advancing troops on both and Mannar and Vavuniya fronts.