Troops regain Palavi

Over 30 Tigers killed as soldiers capture another defence line:

Ranil Wijayapala

KILINOCHCHI: Troops of the 58 Division yesterday made another breakthrough in their march towards Pooneryn after capturing the Valayakudiyurippumoddai defence line strongly held by the LTTE for the past few days, killing over 30 Tiger cadres and capturing five Tiger bodies.

This came hours after they dominated the Palavi fishing village in the west of Mannar-Pooneryn A-32 road, military sources told the Daily News last night.

According to military sources heavy fighting erupted in the Valayakudiyurippumoodai defence line located some four Kilometres East of Chempangundu on the A-32 road as troops in an unexpected move crossed a huge open terrain at an unexpected moment in the early hours of yesterday.

“Heavy fighting continued there for hours until troops fully captured the area killing over 30 Tiger cadres,” a senior military official told the Daily News. The Tiger cadres operating there strongly held this defence line located four and half kilometres east of A-32 road and five kilometres south of Pooneryn-Paranthan road as it paves the way for the troops to advance towards Pooneryn and also towards the vital Pooneryn Paranthan road which is the northernmost supply route linking the Western coast to the A-9 road.

As of yesterday troops of the 58 Division were operating within the striking distance of the Pooneryn Paranthan road and facing stiff resistance from the LTTE who are strongly holding these areas inducting their elite cadres.

Hours before the capture of this defence line the 58 Division operating in the Western edge of the Kilinochchi district dominated the Palavi fishing village the last fishing village before Pooneryn on the Western coast of the country.

Earlier on Monday troops dominated Kiranchi which has been used by the LTTE as one of their unloading points on the Western coast after they lost control of the Viddathalthivu Sea Tiger Base.

Palavi is located some six and half Kilometres West of the 8th Mile Post on the A-32 road.

With the capture of Palavi LTTE the is left with only Valaipadu and Devil’s Point on the Western coast as their unloading points in the Western coast before Pooneryn, the northern most township on the Western coast.

“Dominating Palavi is strategically important as this will cut off the LTTE’s main access route running parallel to the coastal border from Veravil to Chempangundu”, a senior Army official said.

Meanwhile, troops operating south of Kilinochchi also confronted the LTTE killing over seven Tiger cadres after capturing a few of the bunkers in the southern edge of Kilinochchi.

“The troops of the 57 Division have reached so close to Kilinochchi they can see highrise buildings in Kilinochchi town,” a senior military official said.