Troops advance from all directions:

Fall of Kilinochchi imminent

 Iranamadu captured

Fleeing Tigers cornered

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

The fall of Kilinochchi is imminent within the next 48 hours as Security Forces have already entered the Kilinochchi town from the South, West and North of Kilinochchi, Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka told the Daily News yesterday.

The Security Forces engaged in the Vanni liberation operations speeded up their advance towards the de-facto Tiger capital Kilinochchi from all fronts from the South, West and North after Task Force -I troops completely captured and consolidated their positions in strategically important Paranthan junction by yesterday morning.

He said the Task Force I or the 58 Division under the command Brigadier Shavendra Silva immediately after consolidating their position in Paranthan started their advance towards Kilinochchi from the East and West of Kilinochchi

“The Task Force I troops are operating just one kilometres short of Kilinochchi railway station”, the Army Commander added.

Troops attached to 10 Gajaba Regiment under the Command of Major Udaowita and 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Kithsiri Ekanayake are advancing towards Kilinochchi from the East of A -9 road whilst troops attached to 12 Gajaba Regiment under the command of Major Saliya Amunugama and 6 Gemunu Watch battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Kamal Pinnawala are advancing towards Kilinochchi town from the West of A-9 road.

Meanwhile, troops attached to 57 Division also advanced towards the heart of Kilinochchi from the South and West directions.

The 574 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Senaka Wijesuriya fully captured the strategically important Iranamadu junction in the South of Kilinochchi opening another gateway to Kilinochchi. “They have advanced beyond the Iranamadu junction and are fast advancing towards the heart of Kilinochchi”, the Army Commander added.

As troops advancing towards Kilinochchi from all fronts, troops observed the way LTTE cadres are fleeing from the area loading their stuff in vehicles.

The 572 Brigade under the command of Colonel Dhammika Jayasundera and 571 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Harendra Ranasinghe are advancing towards the centre of Kilinochchi from the West and South West direction and are operating closer to the A-9 road

“There are signs that the LTTE will flee from Kilinochchi as troops advance towards the heart of Kilinochchi.

But troops will have to engage in fierce battles in areas such as Ramanathanpuram in the east of Kilinochchi”, the Army Commander added.

As of yesterday they have completed more than 60 per cent of their Kilincochchi mission giving early signs of fall of Kilinochchi within a days period as the troops are aggressively advancing towards the heart of Kilinochchi in all fronts without leaving any room for the LTTE to operate there. The only option now available for the LTTE is to flee towards the jungle patches in Puthukuduiruppu and Vishvamadu in the East of Iranamadu tank but will be once again cornered in this jungle terrain as 59 Division troops are advancing towards Puthukuduiruppu from the West of Mullaitivu after their consolidated their positions in the Mulliyawali village.

Fierce battles erupted in the West of Mulliyavali as troops closed in on to the Tiger airstrip there.