Mallavi liberated

LTTE loses strategic location used as Prabhakaran’s hideout:

Ranil Wijayapala

Mallavi : Troops attached to the 57 Division made another strong step forward in their bid to liberate the Wanni from the clutches of the LTTE after taking the strategically important Mallavi town under their control except for a few areas in the town, flushing out Tiger cadres who are now on the retreat towards the North by yesterday afternoon, Military sources told the Daily News yesterday.

Major General Jagath Dias General Officer Commanding 57 Division.	Lt. Col. Kithsiri Liyanage Sinha Regiment Commanding Officer.	Lt. Col. Prathap Thillekeratne, 573 Brigade Commander.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said troops are poised to capture the town fully, completely flushing out the Tiger cadres by Tuesday.

”Troops who entered Mallavi town by Sunday afternoon from the ninth mile post expanded their positions up to 8th mile post by yesterday afternoon,” a senior military official told the Daily News.

”Troops are now further expanding their positions surrounding Mallavi town towards Thunukkai and Mankulam”, the official added. The troops attached to 7 Sinha Regiment under the command of Lt. Colonel Kithsiri Liyanage consolidated their positions in Mallavi town by yesterday afternoon capturing it under the command of 573 Brigade Commander Lt. Colonel Prathap Thillekeratne operating under the 57 Division commanded by Major General Jagath Dias.

The capture of Mallavi one of the main administrative hubs of the LTTE where they kept many of their foreign visitors arriving in the Wanni to meet their leaders is a great loss to the LTTE as they defended it as one of their prestigious strongholds in Wanni.

Mallavi is located surrounding the ninth mile post on the Mankulam Vellankulam road

which links the Jaffna Kandy A-9 road and the Mannar- Pooneryn A-32 road. “With the capture of Mallavi troops are further closing in on the A-9 road towards Mankulam,” the official added. According to ground sources Mallavi has a hospital, banks and a massive bakery complex which can make 5,000 loaves of bread at once.

”The LTTE defended this strategic town constructing a massive earth bund from the south and inducting their well trained cadres,” the official added. After months long fighting in the south of Mallavi in Vavunikulam tank area, the LTTE started to leave Mallavi town with the fall of Thunukkai and after the fall of Alankulam a village located North of Thunukkai which gave depth to Mallavi town.

Mallavi is important for the LTTE as it is the birthplace of Prabhakaran’s wife Mathivathani and also a famous hideout of LTTE leader Prabhakaran.