LTTE area leader killed

Battle intensifies to capture Tiger’s last stronghold:

Rafik JALALDEEN

The battle to capture Puthukudiyiruppu, the LTTE’s last stronghold has intensified.

Security Forces marched into LTTE’s highly fortified defence lines amidst stiff resistance killing scores of LTTE cadres including an area leader on Thursday.

According to military officials, troops of the 53, 58 and 59 divisions and Task Force II and Task Force IV continued to fight to liberate the remaining LTTE stronghold in Mullaitivu district yesterday.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said troops of 1 Gajaba Regiment and 4 Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment on 681 Brigade engaged in a fierce battle that lasted hours in the general area of Puthukudiyiruppu pushing the LTTE further back into their build-up amidst stiff resistance by Tiger cadres on Thursday.

He said the Tigers lost one of their ground commanders in the Puthukidiyiruppu battlefield. “An LTTE ground commander known as Shankar who led the confrontation in Puthukudiyiruppu area was killed. LTTE transmissions confirmed that 14 Tigers were killed and over 30 wounded during the clash,” he added.

Brigadier Nanayakkara said troops confronting in general areas of Ampalawanpokkani, Mulliavalai, east of Puthukudiyiruppu, Chalai and Therumurikkandi plunged further into the LTTE build-up also inflicting heavy damages to Tiger cadres.

He said the Infantrymen of 10 Sri Lanka Light Infantry attached to the 58 division launched an offensive at the LTTE target in Ampalawanpokkani in the morning causing severe damages to the Tigers.

In a subsequent search operation, troops recovered two bodies of LTTE cadres together with eight 81mm mortars, booby traps, 35 hand grenades, a T-56 assault riffle and an I-Com set.

Meanwhile, troops launching operations in Muthaliyakulam, Karuppadimuruppu and Mankulam areas recovered six 81mm mortar bombs, 15 AP mines, three T-56 magazines, 15 detonators, two 81mm mortar bombs converted into booby traps, five metre long safety fuses and nine metre long detonator cords.