Twin victories for Forces

Alampil and Puliyankulam regained

Sea Tigers lose another strategic location

Ranil Wijayapala and Rafik Jalaldeen

MULLAITIVU: Troops engaged in the Wanni liberation operation yesterday achieved yet another victory with 59 Division troops capturing the strategically important Alampil area 10 Kilometres south of Mullaitivu whilst Task Force II troops captured the key junction town Puliyankulam north of Omanthai on the Jaffna Kandy A-9 highway, Military officials said yesterday.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara confirmed to the Daily News that troops of the 59 Division reached the strategically important Alampil in the North of Nayaru lagoon and were in the process of consolidating their positions in an area where LTTE had their major Sea Tiger base.

“With this move troops are in full control of the Nayaru lagoon which was used by the LTTE as one of their strategic locations to launch their attacks targeting vessels of the Sri Lanka Navy,” a military official told the Daily News.

The LTTE cadres used the area as a major Sea Tiger operational base for logistics from Mullaitivu through the sea route.

Troops attached to the 591 Brigade were in the process of clearing areas in the Alampil Sea Tiger base by yesterday afternoon.

According to military sources following the fall of the Kumalamuani, 11 Gemunu Watch battalion under the command of Lt.

Colonel Priyanka Fernando advanced to Alampil after dominating the Kumalamunai- Alampil road.

The 14 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment attached to the 591 Brigade advanced northwards of Kumalamunai cutting off the Mullaitivu-Alampil main road at a location a few kilometres north of Alampil before moving in their bid to capture the Alampil.

Hours after the fall of Alampil, one of the key stronghold of the LTTE in the Eastern coast, troops attached to the Task Force II operating under the command of Brigadier Rohana Bandara, reached the key junction town of Puliyankulam by yesterday noon.

Puliyankulam is located north of Omanthai and is currently a key location as food convoys to Wanni are proceeding through Puliyankulam, Oddusudan road.

According to Military officials this move will definitely enable the troops to use A-9 road as their supply route to the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu fronts after the remaining areas from Puliyankulam to Mankulam also taken under the Security Forces control soon.

With the fall of Mankulam LTTE cadres operating in the south of Mankulam withdrew towards South of Oddusudan after shifting their Entry Exit point to the south of Oddusudan.

Troops are now dominating the A-9 road from Mankulam to Kokavil after 57 Division and Task Force II troops took control of the A-9 road from north of Mankulam to Kokavil town.