In fighting that lasted five days, over one thousand Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and an arms storage was seized by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, according to sources close to LTTE.
The fierce fighting followed the pre-emptive strike launched by LTTE commandos on SLA offensive units that were preparing for an all out assault on Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK) on Sunday February 1.
Hundreds of SLA crack commandos were drawn into Mannakandal and Keappaapulavu 'boxes' and were cut off from their rear supplies during a pre-emptive strike by the Tiger forces, resulting in the loss of more than one thousand SLA soldiers.
An arms storage, which was full of weapons as the SLA was in full preparation to launch its 'final assault' on PTK was seized by the Tiger commandos engaged in the pre-emptive strike.
The sources further revealed that there were at least 20 mortars, thousands of shells, several hundreds of assault rifles, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), RPG launchers and a conservative estimate of one million rounds were among the arms and ammunitions seized by the Tigers. The Tigers had emptied the store of stockpiled arms and ammunitions by the time the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombed the location of its own arsenal.
Three battle tanks, two troop carriers, a military bus and two tractors were fully destroyed in the first day of fighting alone.
Meanwhile, more than 100 SLA soldiers perished in a Black Tiger attack on Tuesday, February 3, in Keappaapulavu, according to Eela Naatham daily, the only newspaper printed in LTTE controlled territory.
The newspaper displayed photos of Black Tigers with the LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan.
The Black Tigers rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the SLA installation and the Tiger commandos stormed the 'box' and brought it under their control.
Reliable sources in Vavuniya, quoting informed Sri Lankan military officials, said an SLA Colonel who had refused to retreat with his soldiers and was insisting his rear command re-establish supply links to his stranded unit, was the target of the Black Tiger attack.
The sources in Vavuiniya also quoted Sri Lankan military officials as saying that there have been a number of surprise attacks and ambushes by LTTE units operating deep inside the SLA occupied territory in recent weeks.
Around 20 supply vehicles of the SLA that attempted to link up were destroyed in the attack. The Tigers also seized heavy weapons and military hardware, the sources further said.
The LTTE has released photographs of female commandos taken before the pre-emptive strike.
