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LTTE attacks Navy boats

V.S. Sambandan

Three sailors captured; a pre-planned attack, says Government

COLOMBO: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Thursday captured three Sri Lankan sailors after a gunbattle in the northern waters.

The Government condemned the attack on two Navy dinghies that were "engaged in routine patrolling" off the Mannar coast. The dinghies "had approached a flotilla of several fishing vessels" when they were surrounded by 10 LTTE boats and fired at.

"Offensive operation"

One boat was "immobilised" and three sailors captured.

Colombo described the attack as a "pre-planned, offensive operation" by the LTTE and "another in a series of provocative attacks mounted on the security forces."

It wanted the international community to "exert maximum pressure on the LTTE" to "release all security forces and police personnel taken hostage by the LTTE and to desist from engaging in hostile acts that would further escalate the volatile situation in the north and east."

The attacks have taken place against the backdrop of efforts by Colombo to restart the stalled peace talks. The Government said, "It is apparent that there is a concerted effort by the LTTE to raise the intensity of the violence."

It maintained that it would "continue to act with restraint, but take all necessary measures to ensure that the security forces are not impeded in carrying out their legitimate tasks."

"Pull forces back"

The LTTE, in a letter to the Norwegian envoy, Hans Brattskar, wanted the international community "to prevail upon the Government to pull back its forces into the barracks."

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