Inland Sea Tiger base pounded

Rafik Jalaldeen

KILINOCHCHI: Air Force fighter jets pounded an LTTE inland Sea Tiger base yesterday morning causing heavy damage to Tigers in Kiranchi, west of Kilinochchi, Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya said.

"The target was precisely taken by pilots based on information from ground intelligence sources and air surveillance," Wing Commander Wijesuriya said.

"The LTTE was using the inland Sea Tiger base to plan and carry out their activities against the Security Forces," he added.

The pilot confirmed the target was destroyed and caused heavy damage to Tiger cadres.

Meanwhile, a naval foot patrol averted a major disaster by recovering 20kg of C4 explosives in Kerawalapitiya along the Colombo-Katunayake road on Thursday night, a senior Navy official said.

The explosives were hidden under sand and piled at a construction site along the Colombo-Katunayake road.

"The recovery was made by the naval foot patrol on Thursday round 10.15 pm," he added. He said the area is highly sensitive as gas tanks and oil refineries were situated. "A major disaster and mayhem was averted by recovering the 20kg of C4 explosives," he added. The naval patrol unearthed 20kg of C4 explosives in 20 packets containing 1 kg in each packets, 23 detonators and two belts.