Over 50 LTTE cadres killed

COLOMBO: Military reports received from the battlefronts in the North indicate that 52 Tigers were killed and at least 42 injured during weekend military offensives aimed at liberating the Wanni region.

On the Jaffna Defence, snipers deployed in the Muhamalai and Nagarkovil frontlines claimed four terrorists were killed, the Defence Ministry said. Meanwhile, ground troops attacked a terrorist bunker line in Nagarkovil, killing three terrorists.

One soldier was killed and two others suffered injuries due to an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion during a similar attack on the Nagarkovil front.

In the Wanni theatre of battle heavy clashes continued in Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya battlefronts. On the Vavuniya front, troops had three separate clashes in Ramanathankulam Nelukulam and Kallikulam areas.

Twelve terrorists were killed. Army snipers deployed southeast of Madhu, and Sulanamaruthamadu areas killed two terrorists. Troops on the Mannar front yesterday destroyed over eight bunkers and trench defences in Parayakulam area.

Troops in this attack said that 22 terrorists were killed and over 26 suffered injuries. During the subsequent search troops found 11 bodies of slain LTTE cadres and five T-56 Rifles. Four soldiers killed in action and 16 wounded .

On the Welioya front, troops marching towards terror strongholds in Mulaithiuvu district, clashed with terrorists in two separate incidents in the Janakapura and Kiriibbanwewa areas, killing five terrorists and injuring 10. Limited operations aimed at Wanni liberation are continuing.