Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters belonging to a special marine wing of the Sea Tigers launched a pre-dawn attack against a strategic naval base on an islet off Jaffna peninsula last week killing at least 13 sailors and wounding many more.
Six civilians including children were killed when Sri Lankan forces in nearby bases retaliated by launching heavy artillery fire.
According to LTTE officials, the raid was launched at 1:25 a.m. on Thursday May 29 and the base was brought under the LTTE control at 2:00 a.m.
"At least 13 Sri Lanka navy (SLN) personnel were killed and many sailors wounded in the raid carried out by a special marine wing of the Sea Tigers," LTTE officials added.
The Sea Tigers also seized weapons, including a 50-caliber machine gun, a mortar, two Ligh Machine Guns and a radar from the camp on Chiruththeevu islet situated between to Mandaitheevu island and Jaffna city.
There were no LTTE casualties in the operation, the officials said adding that the marines safely returned to their base in Vanni mainland after destroying the SLN camp.
One 50 caliber machine gun, one radar equipment, one RPD LMG, one AK LMG, one 60 mm mortar, one 40 mm Rocket Launcher, four T-56 type-2 assault rifles were seized by the Sea Tigers.
141 shells for 60 mm mortar, 06 rockets for 40 mm Rocket Launcher, 930 rounds for 50 caliber machine gun, 430 linked 50 caliber rounds, an extra barrel for the 50 caliber gun, extra barrel for RPD LMG, 795 rounds for RPD LMG, and 1,380 linked 7.62 mm rounds were among the ammunitions. 10 masks, a solar panel with battery and a binocular were among the accessories seized by the Tigers.
Three dead bodies of the Sri Lanka Navy sailors were recovered by the Tigers.
The LTTE, on Thursday morning, displayed the weapons and military equipments seized in the attack to media in Vanni.
The Tigers also identified one of the SLN sailor killed in action as Ranasingha Aaarachchige Saman Pushpa Kumara from Bangalavaththa with Sri Lankan national identity card number 841912462 V.
However, Sri Lanka's defence ministry said army and navy personnel successfully repulsed the rebels, killing at least 16 LTTE cadres and destroying three enemy boats.
"Troops have also mounted heavy artillery attacks towards the fleeing terrorists as enemy fatalities were expected to soar," the ministry said.
Following the raid Sri Lankan forces retaliated by directing heavy artillery fire towards coastal villages of Jaffna.
Six civilians, including children and a couple, were killed and 13 persons were wounded when shells hit the coastal villages Kurunakar, Kozhumpuththu'rai, Paasaiyoor and the areas close to Jaffna Fort, Thuraiappa Stadium and the Sri Lanka Telecommunication building in the early hours of Thursday, following the LTTE raid at Chiruththeevu islet close to Jaffna.
Two children, boys of age 14 and 13, and a mother were killed in Paasaiyoor. Father and another brother were wounded.
In Kurunakar, Joseph Francis, 54, and his wife Joseph Francis Sagayarani, 53, were killed on the spot when shells hit their house. Their children were wounded in the attack, according to initial reports. Their house was located near Kurunakar water tank.
13 civilians have been admitted in Jaffna hospital following the shelling duel.
Residents in the coastal areas reported shelling since 2:30 a.m. Thursday.
