Forces hand over seven LTTE bodies

Seven bodies of LTTE cadres were handed over to the Security Forces in Vavuniya yesterday morning, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

A fierce fight erupted when the Forces launched an attack during its mission to liberate the Wanni on Monday morning in Mannar. "The Security Forces had launched a search operation after the confrontation prior to capturing the LTTE bunker lines north of the Giant Tank on Monday and recovered seven bodies", Brigadier Nanayakkara said.

The bodies were handed over by the Security Forces at the Vavuniya Hospital yesterday morning. The bodies were later to be handed over to the LTTE through the ICRC, he added.

Meanwhile, an LTTE cadre was killed by police while attempting to hurl a hand grenade at a police vehicle yesterday noon in Nelunkulama, Vavuniya.

Following information received a police team from Vavuniya were deployed to arrest two LTTE cadres in Nelunkulam. "When the police team arrived at the location two Tiger cadres lobbed a hand grenade at the police vehicle from their hide out", he said.

The police in return fired at the Tiger cadres. An LTTE cadre was shot dead and the other fled the area.

"A pistol and a hand grenade were also recovered in the incident", he added.