Lankan jets pound LTTE boats; 12 Tigers killed

As thousands of trapped Tamil civilians continue to flee the war zone, Sri Lankan troops mounted heavy pressure to overrun Tigers’ last positions and in a heavy battle at least 12 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres were killed.

The government forces used fighter jets to attack LTTE suicide boats, which were seen on the beach north of Mullaittivu this morning, Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said, adding the boats were destroyed in the strikes.

The Defence Ministry said Sri Lanka Army troops, who were poised to wrest control over the remaining LTTE enclaves, continued to target the outfit strongholds yesterday. In Eastern Batticaloa, troops after a confrontation with LTTE cadres in Hinguruwinna area recovered two bodies and an assortment of military items during a search operation after the incident.

Sri Lankan armed forces have rescued 2,684 Tamil civilians from the LTTE grip in Wanni during 24 hours ending yesterday, the defence ministry said. With this over 35,000 Tamil civilians have moved into the government controlled areas till now out of 250,000.

According to the battlefield reports, troops attacked LTTE strongholds located north of A-35 road (Paranthan- Mullaittivu) in the Kuppilankulam area and found five bodies of Tamil rebels along with five T-56 riffles.

According to the reports received from Omanthai, 2,136 civilians including 452 families reported from Kilinochchi transit camp to the refugee camp, the army said. The group had 1084 males and 1052 females including large number of children. The refugees were sent to the welfare centres at Pampamadu and Muslim College in Vauniya.

Sri Lanka forces in the north of A-35 road (Paranthan-Mullaittivu), reported that 541 civilians including large number of woman and children were rescued from the LTTE grip yesterday, it said, adding they were sent to the transit camps in Kilinochchi. Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said LTTE cadres in Wanni are holding another 75,000 to 80,000 civilians while some 34,600 civilians have been rescued in this month.

Meanwhile, snipers deployed in the forward areas reported killing of five LTTE cadres, the army said. Separately, troops found two T-56 riffles, 17 boxes of MPMG ammo, 19 boxes of 12.7mm ammo, and 50 kg of C-4 high explosives, 8 KG of TNT explosives, and 200m of detonator codes from Visuamadu area in Mullaittivu. Task Force 2 and 4 also had daylong clashes with LTTE, it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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