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| LTTE soldiers pictured in Vanni training with 120mm heavy mortars. Shelling exchanges are a daily occurence in Jaffna. Photo LTTE |
As Sri Lankan Defence secretary Gothabaya declared that crushing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) with military force is the only way to end the island’s civil war, skirmishes between the security forces and the LTTE have increased in the northern Jaffna peninsula.
LTTE field officials on Wednesday September 19 said that they repulsed a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) ground offensive into the no-man’s area at the northern border at Naakar Koayil, after 12-hours of intense fighting.
The Sri Lanka Army suffered heavy casualties, the LTTE said. Two LTTE fighters were killed in action.
The SLA website claimed one SLA soldier was killed and four injured in the artillery and rocket fire duel between SLA and LTTE in the FDL positions in Naakarkoayil.
SLA troops had attempted to capture a Listening Post (LP) night position, forward of the Tiger Forward Defence Line (FDL), according to the LTTE.
The SLA had attacked backed by heavy artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire, during the night. The SLA offensive was finally thwarted on noon on Wednesday.
On Friday September 14, the SLA in Jaffna said that its troops attacked LTTE combatants in the FDL positions at Arukuveli and Kearatheevu area Thursday morning.
Whilst claiming that it had recovered weapons in the search conducted in the said areas, SLA also said that its troops attacked LTTE fighters found to be moving in Poonakari and Kearatheevu area.
Gunfire and artillery fire were heard from Kearatheevu area from morning till afternoon Thursday, Themaraadchi residents said.
A week earlier, on Friday September 7, the LTTE and SLA exchanged heavy artillery fire for nearly 3 hours at FDL in the northern province during the morning.
Shells launched by the LTTE fell inside SLA bases in Naakarkoayil and Manattkaadu, according to sources in the area.
During the exchange, helicopters, possibly evacuating casualties, flew in and out of the SLA bases.
SLA artillery bases in Manattkaadu and adjoining area kept firing shells in support of an attack on the LTTE from Naakarkoayil SLA FDL position.
No information on casualties, injuries, or outcome of the exchange was released by either side.
In addition to skirmishes near the FDL there have also been ambushes inside the army controlled peninsula and surrounding seas.
Amid increasing number of incidents along northern front lines including Muhamaalai, Naakar Koayil and Kilaali, on Saturday September 15, LTTE and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) clashed in Kilaali seas for nearly an hour starting from 8:00 am, the Palaly military command said.
LTTE officials told TamilNet that they attacked SLN boats attempting to infiltrate the areas under LTTE's control, resulting in exchange of fire.
The SLN said that they took defensive action to confront LTTE boats entering Kilaali seas.
No details of injuries or casualties were reported.
On the same day, two SLA soldiers were killed and 7 soldiers seriously injured in a claymore attack on a SLA convoy 300 meters from the Manthikai Government Hospital along Jaffna-Point Pedro road at 9:00 pm. Friday, military sources in Jaffna said.
The convoy, deep inside SLA-controlled Jaffna, was transporting soldiers from the FDLs in Naakar Koayil in Thenmaraadchi to the Palaali military base when the attack occurred.
The injured soldiers were first taken to Manthikai Hospital and later transferred to Palali Military Hospital, according to hospital sources. Many of the injuries sustained by the soldiers were life threatening, hospital sources said.
Claymore mine hidden along the roadside bushes completely destroyed the military truck, according to local residents.
