The Sea Tigers attacked and sank a Sri Lanka navy Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) in the seas off Passaiyoor on Saturday, killing 5 Sri Lankan army soldiers, according to LTTE officials
Sea Tigers, retaliating against an attack by three Sri Lankan Army vessels that entered the LTTE territorial waters on Saturday, October 20 around 10.45am, sunk one of the vessels and seized weapons from the sinking vessel.
According to LTTE officials, one PK-LMG, one AK-LMG, one 40 mm gun, two T-56 rifles, a communication set, eight hand grenades, two-hundred AK-LMG rounds, one-hundred PK-LMG rounds, a jacket holster, two T-56 magazines and one oil container were seized.
A limited, but intensive sea operation was launched by the SLN with artillery fire support that targeted the LTTE controlled areas, according to the fishermen who left the waters of the lagoon soon after fighting erupted.
The Tigers said the clash only lasted for 30 minutes in the waters near Paasaiyoor and Kurunakar.
Meanwhile, SLA sources in Jaffna claimed to have sunk a Sea Tiger vessel and said seven SLA soldiers were wounded in the clash.
SLA officials in Colombo, admitting that 3 SLA soldiers were missing, claimed to have killed 3 Sea Tiger personnel in the clash. However the LTTE officials denied that there were any LTTE casualties.
Following the skirmish SLN soldiers arrested thirty two Paasaiyoor and Kurunakar fishermen who hurriedly returned to the shores of Jaffna Lagoon after getting caught in the sea battle.
Following the skirmish SLN soldiers arrested thirty two Paasaiyoor and Kurunakar fishermen who hurriedly returned to the shores of Jaffna Lagoon after getting caught in the sea battle.
The fishermen had gone out fishing early morning at 7:00 a.m. after satisfying the pass formalities with the SLN.
The arrested fishermen are being detained at the SLN camp in Kurunakar. According to reports, SLN is planning to handover the arrested to Jaffna Police who will produce the fishermen in Jaffna Courts.
