International   

11 soldiers killed in Jaffna battle

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: At least 11 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were killed and 53 others injured in fighting between the army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Muhamalai sector in the Jaffna peninsula on Saturday.

This is the first major flare-up between the two sides since the army captured Sampur town and the military base of the Tigers.

The military claimed that the LTTE suffered heavy casualties in Saturday's confrontation while the militants said none of its cadres had died. Tigers had said it considered the capture of Sampur as end of the ceasefire and warned of dire consequences if the army troops did not return to the original positions.

The army maintained that it was compelled to go for "limited action" as a defensive measure to neutralise continuous artillery and mortar fire by the LTTE on the Security Forces Defence Line at Muhamalai since August 11.

LTTE attacks

"Troops are now in the process of consolidating their positions after they, with the assistance of the Air Force, neutralised the LTTE artillery and mortar bases where the terrorists directed fire towards the security forces", the army said.TamilNet and LTTE Peace Secretariat, which have been unusually quiet since the fall of Sampur, said heavy fighting broke out in Thenmaradchi sector of Jaffna district as the army launched a new offensive on Saturday morning.

"In an offensive drive towards Muhamalai, the Sri Lanka Army has been shelling the LTTE FDL positions continuously in the past days. The deteriorating situation in the country has drawn the attention of the international community with the European Parliament in a resolution expressing concern that elements on both sides of the divide in Sri Lanka are intent on conflict and said that for the sake of all the people of the country, they should pull back from the brink.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Global counter-terrorism strategy adopted by U.N.
Growth includes social security: China
11 soldiers killed in Jaffna battle
Israel lifts naval blockade
Anti-Chen protest
Atlantis blasts off
Telling the time, with ultra-accuracy
Bill Clinton celebrates 60
India, China should work together: Sibal
``Sri Lanka issue should be resolved soon''

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu