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LTTE gearing up for major offensive: army

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: The military on Thursday said the LTTE was gearing up for a major offensive in the east to "recapture its lost territory." In an escalation of violence post Geneva-II, at least five persons were killed in "pre-emptive" air force raids.

The LTTE alleged that the five persons of a family were killed when Kifir bombers attacked the newly-built Kilinochchi hospital full of patients.

The military claimed that the strikes were on "well identified" Tiger targets in Mannar and Kilinochchi. "With the Tamil Tigers preparing for the offensives in the east, the Sri Lankan Air Force conducted well-planned air strikes on well identified Tiger targets in Mannar and Kilinochchi to pre-empt the LTTE's offensive efforts."

The military claimed that the first target was a Sea Tiger base located North of Mannar and the target details were confirmed both by ground and electronic intelligence sources. The other target was a military training base, it said.

Fighting erupted despite pleas by the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka to both sides not to precipitate the situation.

The Government maintained that during the Geneva peace talks the Tigers had augmented its cadres and deployed heavy weapons in Kadiraveli, Mavilaru south and Kadjuwatte North areas.

The Government claimed that 189 civilians from the Kaddimurichchikulam and Kirimichiya villages in the Tiger controlled areas had moved across to the government-controlled areas.

It said the civilians had also informed it that the Tiger cadres were moving heavy mortars, guns and construction material for bunkers as well as anti-personnel and Claymore mines as they did before they closed the sluice gates of Mavil Aru on July 18.

On the alleged raid on the hospital, the LTTE claimed that patients, including those who were seriously ill, ran out in panic.

"The entire hospital of more than 300 patients ran out and went home." The bombs fell on the civilian settlement 600 metres from the hospital, killing the five persons, it said. "Immediately after the bomb explosion which was only 2 km from the SLMM Kilinochchi office, SLMM monitors rushed to the scene to investigate," the LTTE claimed. It said, "What happened today in Kilinochchi was not a military offensive but state terrorism on hospital patients. This hospital is the major hospital serving the entire population in Vanni."

LTTE political wing leader Tamilchelvan said such a blatant attack "defies everything that the international community has been requesting."

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