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Jets pound LTTE positions

COLOMBO: A day after the LTTE struck at an Army post in the Jaffna Peninsula, the Air Force on Friday claimed it targeted “LTTE’s artillery and mortar launching platforms” at Kalmunai Point in the Poonaryn general area.

At least six civilians were killed as LTTE launched mortar attacks on Jaffna and nearby areas on Thursday. The military claimed at least 21 LTTE cadres were killed and 11 injured.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the Air Force hit the LTTE’s Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in the peninsula. “The targets were accurately hit, but the exact damages are yet to be ascertained,” it said. The Ministry said the LTTE used the targeted locations to launch artillery attacks. Apart from the civilian casualties, it said dozens of houses and a church were destroyed in the shelling.

The military said, in the Jaffna battlefront, troops confronted the LTTE in the Elathumadduwal area. Two soldiers were injured. The LTTE claimed it suffered no casualties.

The Ministry claimed troops made “significant gains” in Wanni and multi-front attacks on LTTE defences continued throughout the day. On the Vavuniya front, troops said four LTTE cadres were killed and eight others wounded.

The Ministry said on the Mannar front, troops raided an LTTE stronghold in Andankulama area. At least six of its cadres were either killed or wounded while two soldiers were injured. “The major thrust of the ongoing counter-terror operation continued to remain on the Welioya front, as troops captured LTTE’s main logistic base — Munnagam Base — located north of Janakapura,” said the Ministry. It said the base was the lifeline to LTTE cadres operating in the forward positions.

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