It is "not too far away," to "liberate the people of Kilinochchi and Mullaiththeevu" and make them live under a "democratic set up" now being "enjoyed by the people of the eastern province," declared Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing a provincial election campaign meeting in Anuradhapura on Saturday.
The statement comes after Sri Lanka Army officials in Colombo told media that their forces were making "rapid progress" in Vanni, claiming that the SLA recovered 37 dead bodies of LTTE fighters together with arms as the Sri Lankan forces were engaged in consolidating an offensive line south of Mallaavi.
"Like capturing the LTTE territory, the UPFA would also capture the power of the NCPC and Sabragamuwa Provincial Council," he said.
The Sri Lanka Army is determined to free the peoples of the two districts under the LTTE control, Mr. Rajapaksa further said.
According to the SLA claim, 33 LTTE dead bodies were recovered in Vavunikkulam, south of Mallaavi, with arms including a mortar, 23 T-56 assault rifles and one Rocket Propelled Gun (RPG).
A further 4 bodies were recovered at Kalvizhaan, northwest of Vavuniykkulam, according to the SLA.
Meanwhile, LTTE officials in Vanni said 26 Sri Lankan Special Forces commandos were killed Friday and that the Tigers had recovered one body of the SLA soldier.
One RPG, one PK-LMG, two T-56 assault rifles were also seized by the Tigers at Kalvizhaan on Friday when heavy fighting ensued between the advancing SLA and the LTTE defensive units.
More than 45 SLA soldiers sustained heavy wounds, according to the Tigers.
The SLA was engaged in offensive attacks on Saturday, the first day of the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Tigers in connection with the SAARC conference being held in Colombo.
Meanwhile, the Defence Secretary called on Army deserters to return to their posts.
Gotabaya Rajapakse appealed to over 10,000 soldiers who had left the military for various personal reasons during the past four to five years to return to fight for their motherland, the Sunday Island newspaper reported.
"This is a very decisive juncture when the security forces have got the upper hand and need all the help they can get", he told the Sunday Island during an interview on July 26.
The Tigers are in disarray - they are falling apart like a pack of cards and fleeing for safety leaving behind heavy guns and artillery as never seen before, the Defence Secretary and brother of the President asserted.
"We have spent a lot of money and time on training these soldiers professionally and they had subsequently left for personal reasons. We can expedite the process for them to return and all that they need to do is to come back", he assured.
