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LTTE leader among 27 killed, says Colombo

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan military on Wednesday claimed to have killed at least 27 LTTE cadres including a “senior area leader” and lost a soldier in fierce fighting in the last 24 hours.

The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said five cadres were killed and a bunker was destroyed in two confrontations in the Jaffna area on Wednesday.

The Defence Ministry claimed troops raided LTTE positions ahead of Parappakandal defences on Tuesday killing at least 19 Tiger cadres and wounding 30.

“The advancing troops were assisted with heavy artillery and multi barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) fire directed at LTTE positions. Over 30 terrorists were wounded in the ground advance, forcing LTTE to flee with soaring casualties.”

TamilNet however said the Army had suffered casualties on Tuesday when the LTTE fired artillery shells on troops, positioned 17 km southeast of Mannaar city at Parappaangka’ndal. At least, nine soldiers with severe injuries were admitted to a hospital, the website said.

Separately, Special Task Force (STF) personnel claimed to have gunned down an area leader of LTTE Shankar at Saukade in Batticaloa. It said Shankar was “in-charge” of the district.

“Shankar was the person behind all the terrorist activities that were carried out by LTTE after the security forces liberated the Eastern Province,” said the Defence Ministry.

The LTTE alleged that Paracetamol syrup, which is used as pain killer and for controlling fever among children, was blocked by the Ministry of Defence.

“Government Agents of both Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu District Secretariats have said that the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence is blocking fuel supply [to] Vanni. They have both said over the last two days the kerosene quota for January for Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu districts has not been allowed past the Vavuniya border checkpoint by the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence,” said the LTTE in a report posted on its web site.

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