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LTTE planning major attack: army

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: At least 10 soldiers and 20 cadres of the Tamil Tigers died in the last 32 hours, in continuing battles in the north.

The military conceded that nine soldiers had been killed and 46 injured in heavy shelling by the LTTE on the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) west of Omanthai.

A military statement said the security forces had found 20 bodies of LTTE cadres. Civilians coming into the government-controlled areas claimed the LTTE was planning a "major human catastrophe" in the un-liberated areas to tarnish the image of the security forces, the military said.

It said the Tiger leadership had offended the reverend father incharge of Madu church for not allowing it to conscript Tamil children. "It is believed over 3,000 civilians are presently taking refuge under the holy church of Madu since the LTTE terrorists unleashed their `Final War' craze on the Wanni civilians few weeks back."

TamilNet projected a much higher figure of casualties among the security forces. Quoting the Tamil Tigers, it said the security forces were forced to beat a retreat in Mannar district.

The TamilNet said the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation directors, who were returning after monitoring the relief assistance to the displaced civilians following the army operation in Mannar Vavuniya border, were attacked by an army deep penetration unit claymore mine. It said a humanitarian worker was killed and three TRO directors were wounded in the attack.

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