Countdown to final battle begins

*New No fire zone declared

*Tigers fail to reverse Security Forces victories

The LTTE used to explain each and every defeat they were facing as tactical withdrawals and continued to do so until they faced their humiliating defeat in their so-called capital Kilinochchi and their strongholds Pooneryn, Elephant Pass and Mullaitivu.

At the initial stage the LTTE warned that they would bring the war to Colombo if Security Forces try to fight them in the North and East. But they failed to bring war to Colombo as they predicted though they could explode few bombs targeting innocent civilians in some places in Colombo and suburbs.

It was due to strengthened security measures and the screening of each and every citizen entering Colombo, the Defence authorities and the Security Forces could avert many of the Tiger plans to create mayhem in Colombo.

Allegations

The Security Forces and the Police had to face a series of allegations from the so-called Non Government Organizations appearing on behalf of the LTTE when detecting those Tiger cadres who reached Colombo disguised as civilians.

Those organizations and political parties appeared on behalf of the LTTE in support of their terror plans, should at least now understand the gravity of the problem the Security Forces had to tackle in Colombo.

The LTTE always made statements, boasting about their capability to hit back at any time with a terror plan in their hand. That was why the LTTE said that their setbacks in Kilinochchi were only temporary.

They had terror plans to in their hands to reverse the military victories but failed in all those efforts due to the increased vigilance of the Security Forces. Their terror plans would have gone undetected if not for the vigilance of the Security Forces.

The troops attached to the 571 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Harendra Ranasinghe could avert a massive disaster on January 28, 2009 as they could detect two Black Tiger cadres who were roaming around massive Iranamadu tank just few days after the LTTE exploded Kalmadukulam tank.

Suicide mission

Initially they claimed that they had arrived there to surrender to the Security Forces but later accepted that they had arrived there for a suicide mission to explode the Iranamadu tank bund.

These two Black Tiger cadres identified as Kanakasuthasan Suthas alias Shanker and Thillainathan Thivakaran alias Thamil Alai have made surprising revelations to the Security Forces.

These shocking revelations by these two Black Tiger cadres ‘Shanker’ and ‘Thamil Alai’ confirm the fact that the LTTE had more terror plans in their hand to reverse the Security Forces victories even at the last moment.

According to latest revelations by these two Black Tiger cadres the LTTE had planned to explode Iranamadu tank bund in mid January to reverse the victories of the Security Forces in Kilinochchi as they have been totally frustrated following their defeat in Kilinochchi.

According to these two Black Tiger cadres attached to the Gangai Amarn squadron of the Sea Tiger wing which trains Sea Tigers for underwater missions, they have been briefed about their mission by Charles Anthony the elder son of Prabhakaran who is handling the IT unit of the LTTE in Visuamadu on January 23.

Sea Tiger Special leader Soosai and Dinesh Master from Gangai Amaran Squadron has also been there when Charles Anthony briefed them about his plans to blast the Iranamadu tank bund.

They have been taken to Visuamadu in an intercooler pajero from Mullaitivu where they had their basic training prior to their mission. They have been trained to swim more than 10 kilo metres at a stretch.

Training

Before they were taken to Visuamadu and prior to their training ‘Shanker’ and ‘Thamil Alai’ had a dinner with Tiger leader Prabhakaran in December in an unknown destination along with another set of Black Tiger cadres assigned for various other missions. According to the revelations of these Black Tiger cadres they have been served with mutton and string hoppers for their dinner at an unknown destination.

They have been selected for this mission as they have participated at the mission to hijack Farah II ship in the Mullaitivu seas.

Charles Anthony had explained his plan to the Black Tiger cadres through a computer presentation. They have studied each and every part of the Iranamadu tank before preparing this master plan. They have studied the sluice gates, depth and the capacity of the Iranamadu tank and the extent of area that may submerge following the explosion of the tank bund.

High grounds

They have also identified the high grounds that may not be submerged in the floods and pointed out those places as the places to which troops would gather to escape from floods.

They have been asked to explode the tank bund at a depth of 20 feet to cause maximum damage.

The two Black Tiger cadres who arrived there through the jungle patches in Mullaitivu have been provided with claymore mines, diving kits, chargers and satellite phones to carry out their mission.

They have been asked to inform the Sea Tiger leader about the time they were going to explode the Iranamadu tank bund to carry out the second phase of it.

Charles Anthony and Soosai had estimated that 5,000 soldiers would die in the floods that would result following the blast of Iranamadu tank bund and the flood waters would remain for more than five days after the explosion.

It could submerge entire Kilinochchi district up to Pooneryn and some parts of the Jaffna peninsula.

Sea Tiger special leader Soosai had explained how he is going to deploy more than 300 Sea Tigers in floods in search of the marooned soldiers. The Sea Tiger leader Soosai had planned to launch some 50 boats soon after the explosion of the Iranamadu tank to attack the marooned soldiers.

The LTTE made use of this tactic when LTTE exploded the Kalmadukulam Tank bund two weeks back but failed in their endeavor as troops reacted to that situation without any confusion.

But one thing went wrong with the LTTE though the LTTE had carried out reconnaissance missions they have not come across Security Forces presence at the Iranamadu tank bund.

Iranamadu tank

The two cadres who had arrived there at the Iranamadu tank have faced a difficult situation due to the presence of the Security Forces. The Tiger leaders never expected the troops to be on high alert as they have been instructed to increase the security in Iranamadu tank after Kalmadukulam incident.

Apart from this incident the Tiger cadres have also made startling revelations about the Sea Tiger wing. According to these two black Tiger cadres the Sea Tigers have experimented one of their small submarines in Nanthikadal lagoon few months back and increased their underwater capabilities.

They have also divulged that ten more Black Tiger cadres have been trained with them for underwater missions.

But all their terror plans to reverse the military victories of the Security Forces, went in drains due to the vigilance of the Security Forces. This terror plan divulged by the captured Black Tiger cadres very clearly indicates the desperation of the LTTE at this stage.

What they want at this moment is only to reverse the Security Forces victories at any cost. They have no iota of respect for human lives at this moment. Their only concern is to achieve their objective.

The LTTE has planned many such operations to stop the advance of the troops advancing into last remaining areas under their control. It was after the troops attached to the 571

Terror plan

Brigade foiled their terror plan the Tiger leadership had focused their attention towards the Mullaitivu area to capture the areas under Security Forces control.

Sea Tiger leader Soosai had commanded the entire terror operation to push back the Security Forces from the Puthukuduyiruppu South and Mullaitivu West front. The operation started by the LTTE on February 01, has also been foiled by the ground troops after deploying the troops attached to 59 Division closer to the Puthukuduyiruppu South.

The Forward Defences of the Security Forces in Puthukuduyiruppu South were readjusted following LTTE sending four explosive laden trucks into the defence line on February 03 evening.

Task Force VII

Once again troops foiled another attempt by the LTTE to send Tiger cadres into Security Forces controlled areas in Oddusudan in an armoured plated bus on February 07 around 2 p.m. An armoured tank which was heading towards the FDL had detected this and attacked it killing 14 Tiger cadres on board the bus.

Following this attack Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka has made arrangement to form Task Force VII and deployed it in the Mullaitivu West front. Colonel G.V. Ravipriya who was appointed as the Mannar Area Commander was airlifted to Oddusudan after he was appointed as the Task Force VII Commander.

The 633 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Subashana Welikala operated under the Task Force III and 593 Brigade under the Command of Lt. Colonel Lalantha Gamage has been attached to Task Force VII Brigade Commanders.

With this new deployment Army has strengthened its defences in the Mullaitivu, Mullaitivu West and Puthukuduyiruppu South.

It was in this backdrop and fervent appeals made by the Government and the Security Forces thousands of civilians commenced arriving in Government controlled area in Visuamadu.

Outskirts

The highest number of civilians arrived in the 58 Division area last Friday night. More than 5,000 civilians arrived through Suthanthirampuram village as 58 Division troops reached the outskirts of Suthanthirampuram.

By yesterday afternoon more than 32,000 civilians have arrived in Government controlled areas. More than 96 per cent of these civilians have arrived at the 58 Division areas as the 58 Division is operating closer to the areas where civilians are living.

The LTTE having failed in their bid to stop the civilians after killing and firing at them indiscriminately sent a female suicide cadre among the civilians. The women suicide cadre exploded herself inside a transit welfare centre where the 58 Division troops are searching those civilians.

Innocent civilians

More than 10 innocent civilians were killed and 64 other injured in the suicide blast that may be the first occasion a LTTE suicide cadre blew herself up where such a large number of Tamil civilians are present. Nineteen Security Forces personnel including two officers were also killed in this blast.

The entire world realized the true nature of the LTTE through this bomb blast as they targeted their own community. Those who talked about the human rights record of the Government should realize the difficulties faced by the Security Forces protecting those human rights in a conflict of this nature as LTTE is making use of each and every available opportunity to hit back at the Security Forces.

The Security Forces had to change the way of searching these civilians who were arriving in Government controlled areas in large numbers after this incident. The Security Forces had to take this measure considering the safety of the civilians and also the safety of the Security Forces engaged in these humanitarian missions.

The troops also detected some of the Black Tiger cadres arriving in the Government controlled area mingling with thousands of civilians. One such Black Tiger cadre was captured by the 58 Division troops on the eve of the bomb blast in Visuamadu. The Security Forces detected this suspicious person as they recovered a satellite phone in his possession.

Satellite phone

Later he divulged that he has been asked to move into Vavuniya along with this satellite phone so that the LTTE could provide him a suicide kit to accomplice his task. Like this Black Tiger cadre the LTTE would have send hundreds of their cadres mingling with the civilians. So it would be massive task for the Security Forces and law enforcement authorities prevent Tiger cadres infiltrating into cleared areas.

As these new developments are taking place in the battle front with a huge influx of civilians arriving in the Government controlled areas the troops attached to the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva whilst handling thousands of Tamil civilians escaping the Tiger grip also had advanced further into the Tiger territory within the past few days.

They have come across many of the Tiger facilities like printing press and vehicles used by the Tiger leaders. Apart from them the 58 Division have also killed large number of Tiger cadres in their front in the North and West of Puthukuduyiruppu.

They have also found a claymore mine factory and mortar manufacturing Factory of the LTTE yesterday. The recovery of these assets very clearly indicates that the LTTE was manufacturing all what they need for the warfare and were not much affected from the detection of their arms smuggling vessels.

The 57 Division which was operating South of A-35 road had completed their task with the capture of Karuvilkulam West area on Tuesday. With the completion of this task 57 Division will remain as a reserve Division holding Visuamadu South and Kilinochchi.

57 Division

With the 57 Division halting their offensive operations the 58 Division has been given the task of moving into Puthukuduyiruppu in a North to South direction and West to East direction and will link with the Task Force II under the command of Brigadier Rohana Bandara.

The Task Force II, Task Force IV and 59 Division will operate South of A-35 road whilst 58 Division troops are advancing towards Puthukuduyiruppu for the final battle with the LTTE.

The 55 Division under the command of Brigadier Prasanna Silva is also heading towards Mullaitivu from Chalai area to cover the beach front.

With these moves the LTTE had pushed the civilians further towards Mullaitivu beach front from the safety zone. With that move the Army headquarters took measures to declare a new no fire zone in the North East of Puthukuduyiruppu for the civilians to take refuge in that area.

However, the LTTE will try their best to hang on with the civilians until they face their certain defeat. But now the background has already been set to count down the days for their final defeat which is looming around them at present with their most precious asset, civilians fast isolating the LTTE.