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“Iluppaikkadavai town liberated”

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan military on Sunday claimed to have captured yet another big base of the LTTE in the Mannar district.

The Defence Ministry said the troops had “liberated” Iluppaikkadavai town ending 21 years of LTTE control. It said the troops encircled the remote town situated 12 km north of Vidattaltivu by Saturday night and entered it on Sunday. Last week, the Army captured Vidattaltivu, the largest base of Sea Tigers in Mannar district. Going by the military’s claim, the Tigers have been ousted from most of their bases in the Mannar district. However, for weeks now, there has been no response from the LTTE to these claims.

Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the new base captured was not a Sea Tiger one but used for “other terror activities”. He said the troops were consolidating their defences.

At least 15 LTTE cadre were killed during the battle.Separately, the Navy Coastal Patrol Craft (CPC) and the Kafir fighter jets are said to have mounted a joint raid on a group of eight LTTE small boats in the area south of Nachchikudha. The Navy said most of the boasts were destroyed.

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