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Beginning of LTTE end: Colombo

COLOMBO: The Air Force on Wednesday bombed six “identified targets” of the LTTE in the north amid charges by the pro-LTTE TamilNet that at least two civilians were killed and 13 injured in one of the raids.

The raids signalled a concerted offensive as the troops claimed to be in the vicinity of the administrative headquarters of the Tigers, Kilinochchi. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has said the battle is the “beginning of the end of the LTTE”.

The Air Force raids came amid a Defence Ministry statement that at least 25 LTTE cadre were killed as troops marched further towards LTTE heartland, Kilinochchi.

There was no reaction from the LTTE itself to the claims. The propaganda unit of the Tigers, barring for reports on the state of the internally displaced in Wanni, is unusually quiet on the battle ground situation.

The military claims to have killed at least 11,000 LTTE cadre since the current phase of hostilities in July 2006. On the basis of intelligence reports, the military believes that the Tigers strength is down to below 5,000.

As if to demonstrate its grip over parts of territory that were till recently under the LTTE control, the government has agreed to allow a U.N. convoy of 60 vehicles with food supplies to reach Wanni in the next few days.

One of Wednesday targets was identified as a major foothold of the LTTE’s “Charles Anthony unit”, while the another was described, a hardcore female terrorist training facility.

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