Troops reach Jayapuram

Over 40 Tigers killed:

Ranil Wijayapala

Nachchikuda: Troops operating north east of Nachchikuda in the west of Kilinochchi district, made steady progress within the last two days reaching the outskirts of Jayapuram in the north of Nachchikuda, crushing LTTE efforts to bring in reinforcements to the front on several occasions killing more than 40 Tiger cadres, Military sources told the Daily News yesterday.

Jayapuram is located some seven kilometres north of Nachchikuda where the LTTE is having one of their main Sea Tiger bases in the North Western coast.

According to sources many Tiger vehicles bringing in cadres to 58 Division front now operating in the north-east of Nachchikuda were hit by the troops killing more than 40 Tiger cadres.

“On three occasions on Friday and Saturday troops hit three Tiger vehicles bringing in reinforcements to this front killing more than 40 Tiger cadres,” the sources added.

A senior Tiger leader was also feared killed as troops operating south of Pooneryn hit one of the double cabs which was escorted by a few Tiger cadres on Friday evening.

A senior Tiger leader who was travelling in this double cab was either severely wounded or killed in this attack, ground troops have confirmed.

“Troops operating in the Mannikulam west also hit two vehicles bringing reinforcements to the area on Saturday,” the sources added.

The 58 Division operating under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva is now expanding their battlefront along the 25 Kilometres long earth bund constructed by the LTTE from Nachchikuda to Akkarayankulam to defend the Kilinochchi front especially the Nachchikuda Sea Tiger base.

“With these advances the Sea Tiger Base in Nachchikuda is becoming isolated, making it extremely difficult for the LTTE to use the stretch of A-32 Mannar Pooneryn road from the North of Nachchikuda”, the sources added.

The Pandiveddikulam tank area also fell under the control of the 58 Division yesterday amidst heavy rains lashing the area.

“The troops of the 58 Division have now advanced some four Kilometres north of Karambakulam and are poised to advance further northward from another location in the east of Vannerikulam as troops also captured the huge earth bund from the East of Vannerikulam too by yesterday”, the source added.

The progress made by the 58 Division heading towards Pooneryn is a big challenge for the LTTE as it would lead to deprivation of logistics support coming from remaining areas in the North Western coast.