The bell tolls for LTTE

**LTTE on the run

** Forces advance further

Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, when deciding to close the sluice gates of Mavil Aru in July 2006, would never have thought that it would precipitate the end of their terror campaign against the Sri Lankan State to reach its illusionary Tamil Eelam by facing such a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan Security Forces.

It was not only the international community but also the local community that sometimes mesmerized by the bloodiest terror acts committed by the LTTE during the past two and a half decades, believed in LTTE invincibility perhaps they were guided by personal estimates or were memorised by the scale of LTTE ruthlessness.

They have been misled by the pro-LTTE media network worldwide. But after the two and half year long genuine military effort Security Forces have proved that all those media campaigns were only hoaxes.

The Security Forces proved this fact further on last Sunday after they captured the most prestigious Tiger stronghold Mulaitivu in the Eastern coast in a surprise move. The news about the capture of Mulaitivu surprised even the military hierarchy as it came at an unexpected time. The entire country on the other hand, was only too eagerly awaiting to see the fall of Mulaitivu.

The 59 Division under the command of Brigadier Nandana Udawatta had all their plans set to capture Mulaitivu in a surprise move. The initial task of the 59 Division was to capture the strong Tiger defence line in the form of ditch cum earth bund covering the entire Nanthikadal lagoon, Mankulam-Mulaitivu road and Alampil Mulaitivu road.

By last Thursday the 59 Division had moved up to Puthukuduiruppu South from the West of Nanthikadal lagoon. But, the 591 Brigade was struck in the South of Mulaitivu on the Alampil-Mulaitivu road for the past one month due to these earth bunds. Many attempts made by the 59 Division on several occasions since December 26 had to be abandoned due to heavy casualties reported during fierce battles that erupted in this stretch.

Therefore, the 593 Brigade under the command of Colonel Jayantha Gunaratne, who were operating in the West of Nanthikadal lagoon were given the task of capturing the earth bund. The 7 Gemunu Watch battalion commanded by Lt. Colonel Chaminda Lamahewa was given the task of capturing the earth bund in the South of Mulaitivu before initiating the master plan to capture Mulaitivu town.

He took the task effectively with the support of the 591 Brigade under the command of Colonel Aruna Ariyasinghe by Friday morning. During this battle, the LTTE lost control of the strongly held earth bund in the South of Mulaitivu. Only five soldiers sustained injuries during this battle. It was a comparatively negligible number compared to the number of casualties among the troops in earlier occasions.

It was a major breakthrough for the 59 Division which was striving to capture key Mulaitivu stronghold from the LTTE.

The second part of the operation was planned for Saturday night. The 593 Brigade Commander Colonel Jayantha Gunaratne took the initiative to prepare the plan to capture Mulaitivu town. They were aware that LTTE was strongly holding the town with a large number of their cadres inducted into the town.

Therefore, all plans were set to capture the town in a surprise move.

The three battalions under the command of the Colonel Jayantha Gunaratne, 15 Sri Lanka Light Infantry Battalion under the command of Major Sujeewa Hettiarachchi, 12 SLII under the command of Major Wasantha Perera and 7 Gemunu Watch Battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Chaminda Lamahewa were given different tasks.

The 15 SLLI was asked to move into the town from the West of Mankulam - Mulaitivu road whilst 12 SLII was asked to move into the Mulaitivu town from the East of Alampil Mulaitivu road in the early hours of Sunday morning.

While the LTTE put up a big resistance to the advancing troops from the two directions, the 7 Gemunu Watch battalion reached the centre of the town from the Eastern edge of the Nanthikadal lagoon.

As the LTTE was confronting with the troops in the centre of Mulaitivu town, they observed a sudden fire from the rear side of the Mulaitivu town.

The LTTE cadres were baffled by this situation. Actually it was the surprise move made by the 7 Gemunu Watch battalion to trap the LTTE in the centre. They took the first initiative on Saturday night. The Alpha Company under the command of Captain Premachandra had taken initiative to induct his troops inside the Mulaitivu town.

The troops who were operating close to the famous Vatrapalai Amman Hindu Temple crossed the Nanthikadal lagoon under the cover of thick darkness on Saturday night. Sergeant Navaratne, Corporal Chandrasiri, Lance Corporal Sarath Nanda Kumara and Corporal Chaminda Perera were the first to cross the Nanthikadal lagoon in neck deep water and move into the town.

A number of soldiers crossed the lagoon and lay ambush inside the town until the troops of the 12 and 15 SLlI troops reached the centre of the town although they observed many Tiger movements inside the town. It was around 9.30 a.m. on Sunday when they started firing at the LTTE cadres compelling them to flee Mulaitivu town by sea.

It was around 1.00 p.m. the 593 Brigade troops secured the Mulaitivu town with 15 SLLI troops and taking control of the Eastern edge of the Nanthikadal lagoon in the West of Mulaitivu town whilst 12 SLLI troops taking the control of beach front of the Mulaitivu town. The 7 Gemunu Watch battalion was deployed in the Northern tip of the Mulaitivu town.

Even after 1 p.m. on Sunday after the news about the capture of Mulaitivu hit the streets in Colombo troops conducted search operations to flush out the Tiger cadres who were trying their best to launch counter attacks and recapture the lost terrain.

As the 593 Brigade taking control of the Mulaitivu town, the 591 Brigade under the command of Colonel Aruna Ariyasinghe held the beach front of the Mullaitivu South.

Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka announced the victory of the troops on Sunday evening after addressing people through a live broadcast over Rupavahini and ITN.

By Monday morning the troops attached to the 59 Division secured the entire Mulaitivu town which had fallen into the hands of the LTTE in July, 1996. They raised the national flag after 13 years with the participation of Brigadier Nandana Udawatta.

On Tuesday, a team of local and foreign media personnel visited the town to observe the situation there. Many of the foreign journalists who went there were surprised having seen the huge earth bunds the LTTE had constructed to secure the Mulaitivu stronghold.

Most journalists saw a devastated town and lost all hope as they saw only few Government buildings which had been left behind by the LTTE. The arguments they have built over the past two years about the indiscriminate artillery fire of the Security Forces were proved wrong as they observed the things from their own eyes.

Although the capture of Mulaitivu was a significant victory for the Security Forces. They have not mobilized all their actual military assets in none of these famous strongholds either in Kilinochchi, Pooneryn, Paranthan or Elephant Pass.

They have gathered all their military hardware, their factories, logistic support bases and all the other essential services in the jungle stretch between Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu.

The LTTE is trying their best to avoid troops reaching these areas as they have left with no other areas to shift these assets.

The LTTE tried one of its dangerous tactics last Saturday. It was with the intention of dividing the troops operating in Visuamadu South and Tharamapuram areas.

The first move of the LTTE came on Saturday morning with the blast of the bridge linking Tharmapuram and Visuamadu on the A-35 road.

Thousands of soldiers attached to the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva was operating there in the Visuamadu North and 574 and 572 Brigade troops in the South of Visuamadu at the time the LTTE blasted this bridge.

Their second move was much dangerous than the first one. It was around 9.30 am on Saturday they blasted the Kalmadukulam or the Komalamadukulam tank bund South of Visuamadu. There entire Visuamadu and Tharmapuram area was inundated in gusty water that came through the destroyed tank bund of the Komolamadukulam.

Hundreds of troops operating in the Visuamadu North and South were on tree tops and ran into high ground to escape from this sudden water gushed into the terrain. A large number of cattle, and many civilians properties were washed away in the gushing water. Soldiers described it as another Tsunami that engulfed Tharmapurama and Visuamadu.

Although the LTTE created massive disaster almost all the soldiers were able to survive despite this terror act of the LTTE as they took immediate steps to bring back the marooned soldiers and their ammunition stocks back to their bases.

The second move of the LTTE came in the form of the huge artillery and mortar fire towards the areas troops were operating. The objective of the LTTE was to kill and capture a large number of soldiers alive who were marooned due to the sudden water that gushed into their territory.

They fired at tree tops using 12.7 mm guns and came in boats to attack the marooned in the floods. But all these moves by the LTTE were effectively foiled by the 58 Division and 57 Division troops.

Although LTTE failed in their effort the Tamil Diaspora abroad spread the news that LTTE had captured 700 soldiers alive after destroying Klamadukulam tank as they were not aware of the fact that LTTE could not carry out the second phase of its terror plan properly.

The waters that came into Security Forces controlled areas receded after three and half hours. Thus another LTTE tactic failed.

This shows the desperation of the LTTE as they on the brink of losing the last inch of land under their control.

Meanwhile, troops attached to the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva and 57 Division under the command of Major General Jagath Dias has reached the Visuamadu junction on Wednesday morning.

One of the important features of capturing these territories under the LTTE is that Security Forces are depriving all the assets the LTTE had shifted from Mannar area towards Visuamadu, and Puthukuduiruppu areas.

The Security Forces now reaching towards Visuamadu and Puthukuduiruppu are collecting all the assets they are now leaving behind with the advance of the troops.

The amount of fuel stocks, vehicles and other explosives recovered by the troops indicate that LTTE had enough stock of fuel and ammunition with them and have produced enough materials to continue their terror plans.

The Task Force IV under the command of Colonel Nishantha Wanniarachchi, Task Force III under the command of Brigadier Satyapriya Liyanage and Task Force II under the command of Brigadier Rohana Bandara have recovered a large stocks of arms and ammunition, mine factories and fule stocks during the past few days.

The latest asset recovered by the Security Forces was a 35 foot submarine type craft in the West of Muttiyankattukulam by the Task Force III.

Therefore, it is now clear that the LTTE is preparing to take cover of the civilians entrapped in Puthukuduiruppu, Visuamadu to launch their final battle against the Security Forces. So far the LTTE has not given any sign that they will allow the civilians to escape from the area as they have prevented the ICRC from removing civilian patients from Puthukuduiruppu hospital on Tuesday.

It was a clear indication that LTTE will resort to its last terror tactics and will fight against the Security Forces taking the cover behind the civilians. But Security Forces are ready to take this challenge effectively by taking extra precautionary steps to safeguard the lives of innocent civilians.

Therefore, it is inevitable that LTTE would see their end within the next few days giving strong signs that for the nation could celebrate Independence in the true spirit of independence.