Forces move to wipe out post ceasefire camps

By Ranga Jayasooriya

The armed forces launched air strikes this week to get rid of the LTTE cluster camps set up during the ceasefire, defence sources said. This has been made necessary by the LTTE making use of Trincomalee as a launching pad for land and sea attacks.

Fresh concerns over the LTTE build-up around the strategically important Trincomalee harbour were raised following LTTE artillery and mortar fire from Sampoor, aimed at the Trinco harbour. The LTTE has set up 14 camps in the South of Trincomalee after the ceasefire agreement was signed. (See the map) (Please also see our editorial.) Tiger suicide boats have frequently used Elakkanthai, a sea Tiger base South of Trincomalee as a launching pad for attacks.

Since the setting up of the Ellankanthai, the LTTE has a built a cluster of 13 camps around Trincomalee (code(c)) named 3(c)2 camp in Sampoor, O(c)2 camp in Villukulum, O(c)1 camp, 32 MF camp, Dolphin, India one camp in Kattaparichchan, 1(c)1 camp,73 camp,0(c)0 camp and BC camp 3. Manirasakulam is the fourteenth camp set up by the LTTE.

Having set up a cluster of camps around the Southern boundary of Trincomalee, the LTTE had positioned its 122 heavy artillery guns and 120 mortars, keeping the Trincomalee harbour within their firing range. The threat from these positions was bared when LTTE launched artillery and long range mortar attacks on the China bay naval base and Monkey Bridge camp yesterday.

One sailor was killed by the artillery attack on naval base yesterday. Several rounds of the Tiger artillery fell in the premises of Prima factory, killing one employee and injuring three.

Following air strikes to wipe out these camps, the LTE launched diversionary attacks as far afield as Muhamalai in the Northern interior, defence sources said. Several of these attacks were repulsed.