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Saturday, Oct 07, 2006
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22 Tigers killed in heavy fighting, says Army

B. Muralidhar Reddy

LTTE "defence council" to discuss developments

COLOMBO: A day after the announcement of dates for talks between Sri Lanka and the LTTE, the military claimed that at least 22 cadres of the Tamil Tigers were killed and four of its troops were injured in the east in heavy fighting.

An Army statement said the LTTE cadres fired mortars and artillery from Panichchankeri and Vakerai areas at troops based in Mankerni.

TamilNet quoted LTTE's military spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan as saying the "defence council" of Tamil Tigers had been summoned to discuss the developments.

The Tigers urged the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to ensure access to the border areas where the military was engaged in offensive acts.

Political and diplomatic observers here are concerned about the continued fighting despite the commitment on both sides to begin talks on October 28 and 29 and cease hostilities.

The agreement for talks is the outcome of coaxing virtually from the whole world amid mounting concern about the plight of close to a million displaced. According to a western diplomat, the talks could be jeopardised if the hostilities do not stop immediately.

"The tigers initiated these offensive attacks at troops at Mankerni area during early hours today causing damages to the security forces' defences and injuring two soldiers. Ground sources and intelligence confirmed [that] the Tiger establishments, which were causing harassments to the innocent civilians, were destroyed. The civil sources in the area and the intelligence said there were over 22 Tiger dead bodies lying in the area," the Army said.

The Government alleged that the Tigers had been detaining civilians, who wanted to move to the cleared areas, and using them as human shields.

It claimed that since the time the Tigers closed the Maavil Aru Sluice Gates in July, over 9,000 innocent Tamil civilians have moved to the cleared areas in and around Valachchenai. TamilNet in a report claimed that the Army had launched an offensive on the LTTE-controlled Vaharai region on Friday morning.

The Army said its troops destroyed an LTTE fuel dump in Palaithivu. It claimed that six LTTE boats were also destroyed by the fire. "This island was used by the LTTE as a storehouse to re-supply food, ammunition and fuel to attack Mandathivu Island on August 11. In the last few days, the LTTE had attempted to enter the island using the island of Palaithivu."

Danger of escalation

The LTTE spokesman told TamilNet, "If the monitors did not ensure monitoring access to disputed areas such as Muhamalai in the North, Vaharai in the East, and elsewhere, there is a real danger of escalation of military hostilities."

All the three armed forces were engaged in the Friday offensive, he said. The military said security forces were attacking newly-built Sea Tiger camps and bunker lines west of Muttur, with MBRLs (Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers) and artillery to counter the threat to the Trincomalee harbour. Naval fast attack craft and gunboats also supported the troops, the military said.

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