Army closing in on Paranthan, Kilinochchi

Ranil Wijayapala

The Security Forces are poised to launch a major breakthrough with troops closing on isolated strongholds as Task Force I troops both in Paranthan and Kilinochchi areas confronted the LTTE in the remaining terrain of the Jaffna-Kandy Highway, military sources from Wanni battlefront told the Daily News yesterday.

“The situation is extremely fragile to the LTTE as they fast shift their cadres in the Jaffna front where the LTTE had kept many of their assets to defend the Paranthan and Kilinochchi fronts as of yesterday evening,” troops now close on the A9 road from North of Kilinochchi, he added.

Sources also said the next 24 hours was delicate as troops are poised to cut off the A9 road from North of Kilinochchi and Paranthan.

“Security Forces are closing on to Elephant Pass too as the Task Force I is in the process of creating a wider front towards A-9 road from the North of Kilinochchi to launch the fall of most important grounds in Kilinochchi to cut Tiger links with the Jaffna front,” sources added.

The Task Force I troops, under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva managed to capture Kamalakadukulam, two kilometers west of Paranthan and Thadduvankoddy in the North West of Paranthan amidst stiff resistance from the LTTE.

“Intercepted radio transmissions confirmed that 20 Tiger cadres were killed and 30 wounded in the fierce battles that erupted from early hours of yesterday. The Task Force I troops managed to recover six Tiger bodies during search and clear operations,” sources added.

The LTTE never expected such a swift move towards North of Kilinochchi and Paranthan as the Task Force I troops had taken only 30 days to advance 22 km from Pooneryn to Paranthan with Pooneryn captured on November 15.

They had to stop military operations for two weeks due to inclement weather conditions.

According to military sources, the 57 Division troops operating South of Kilinochchi also made strategic moves towards Kilinochchi after passing the Tiger earth bund which was the major obstacle.