Over 50 Tigers killed

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Over 50 Tiger cadres were confirmed killed and scores injured South of Chalai as the 58 Division troops foiled an LTTE attempt to breach the Security Forces' defences South of Chalai yesterday, military sources told the Daily News.

The LTTE faced this huge defeat at the hands of the 58 and 55 Division troops as they attempted to breach the Security Forces' defences linking the 58 and 55 Divisions south of Chalai early yesterday taking the cover of civilians trapped in the Safe Zone. According to military sources, Tiger cadres had attempted to reach the Security Forces' defences taking cover of hundreds of civilians trapped in the safe zone and confronted with troops operating south of Chalai early.

Fierce fighting erupted early yesterday and continued till afternoon as Tiger leaders had sent its elite cadres from the Radha Regiment handling the personal security of Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to launch the counter attack.

"Commando troops attached to the 58 Division supported by infantry troops foiled this massive counter attack by over 150 cadres," a military official told the Daily News.

"Troops were able to kill over 50 Tiger cadres and recovered 30 bodies of Radha Regiment cadres and their personal weapons and huge quantity of arms and ammunitions during a search and clear operation in the area last afternoon," the official said. The 55 Division also recovered three Tiger bodies in their effort to foil the massive counter attack by the LTTE.

According ground sources in one of the rare occasions top level Tiger leaders Pottu Amman, Bhanu, Theepan, Velavan and Swarnam had led the Radha Regiment cadres in this counter attack to breach the Security Forces' defences.

"Through these attacks, the LTTE is trying to come out from the huge pressure exerted by the troops confining them to less than 45 square kilometers," senior military officials added.