Elephant Pass next target

Ranil Wijayapala

LTTE leadership in total disarray

Troops 2.5km awayfrom Elephant Pass

The Security Forces who captured two key Tiger strongholds Paranthan and Kilinochchi within 24 hours are poised to capture strategic Elephant Pass, the isthmus that connects the Jaffna peninsula to the mainland, as 58 Division troops are only two and half kilometres short of their target by yesterday afternoon, Military sources told the Daily News yesterday.

“Elephant Pass will fall very soon further sandwiching the LTTE cadres operating in the Jaffna front . It will be only a matter of hours and days,” a senior military official told the Daily News.

The 58 Division troops under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva are heading towards Elephant Pass after their historic victory with the capture of Paranthan at the dawn of the Year 2009 and their contribution for the capture of Kilinochchi on January 2.

According to military sources, the LTTE leadership is in total disarray and shifting their vital assets from the Jaffna front towards Mullaitivu along the Champianpattu Mullaitivu road on the coastal belt with the fall of Paranthan.

“The LTTE should either vacate the area or should have to face a do or die battle in the Jaffna front if they are to defend that territory. But possibilities are very remote for them to hold this ground further,” a senior military official said.

That was the theatre in which the Security Forces faced its biggest debacle in the year 2000 when LTTE launched a massive assault on the Elephant Pass military complex after cutting off the water supply to it from Iyakachchi junction.

According to military officials, the scenario is completely different this time as our troops are holding the entire A-9 road from Omanthai to Elephant Pass.

To take full control of the A-9 road, the Security Forces have to capture only a 10 kilometre terrain from Elephant Pass to Muhamalai. “That will be an easy task once 53 Division and 55 Division advance to the South,” the official added. Meanwhile, troops of the 58 Division and the 57 Division also advanced some five Kilometres to the East of Paranthan and Kilinochchi.

The troops attached to 59 Division are also marching towards the seaport town Mullaitivu.

It is considered to be the strongest military complex of the LTTE. Presently troops are only four Kilometres away from the centre of Mullaitivu.

“The 59 Division under the command of Brigadier Nandana Udawatta is advancing towards Mullaitivu from the beach- lagoon front and from the West of Mullaitivu.

“Troops have taken control of the one kilometre stretch of the Tiger earth bund constructed on the beach front by Sunday and are poised to further advance towards Mullaitivu,” the official added.