Army takes heavy casualties in Muhamaalai

At least 130 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and more than 450 wounded in the space 3 days when they attempted to breakthrough LTTE Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in Kilaali and Muhamaalai fronts, according to a reliable Sri Lankan military source.

29 SLA soldiers lost their lives sustaining sniper fire, the source said and added several soldiers were killed while they were trapped in Tiger minefield.

The SLA soldiers who were sent on offensive mission into the no-go zone in Kilaali and Muhamaalai were trained for a 'do-or-die mission,' the source claimed hinting that the SLA soldiers of divisions 53 and 55 were under tremendous pressure from Jaffna command of the SLA as the Sri Lankan Vanni Security Forces Head Quarters was set ready to link up with the Jaffna peninsula from Pooneryn.

Meanwhile, Mangala Samaraweera, the leader of the SLFP-M wing said Thursday that 200 SLA soldiers were killed on Tuesday alone and more than 700 had sustained wounds in the recent fighting in various fronts in Vanni.

"I know that by last Tuesday, 235 injured soldiers were brought to Colombo National Hospital. It was reported that 85 were brought to Kalubowila, 90 to Jayawardenepura and more than 300 to the military hospital. Also, the bodies of more than 200 brave sons of this country were brought to Jayaratne Funeral Directors," he said.

Samaraweera, who held the portfolio of the Foreign Ministry under Mahinda Rajapaksa soon after the latter assumed power said this was not the first time the SLA captured Pooneryn.

First line captured

Sri Lankan army on Thursday November 20 claimed that after four days of continuous intense fighting the 55 and 53 Divisions of the Sri Lanka Army based at Muhamaalai and Kilaali managed to capture the first FDL of the LTTE in Muhamaalai.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara announced that the military completed capturing the 800 metres long 5 kilometres wide defence line on Thursday evening. The LTTE still maintain two more defense lines.

"They had a lot of casualties and we are going toward the second line of defense," Nanayakkara said.

In April this year the LTTE fighters killed scores of Sri Lankan troops along the Muhamaalai FDL when they feinted an attack on government positions, quickly retreated and then pounded the pursuing soldiers with artillery when they reached the LTTE FDL.