Forces advance towards Elephant Pass

by Ranga Jayasuriya

Security Forces overran LTTE forward defence lines in Pallai to advance towards Elephant Pass yesterday, after heavy fighting erupted.

Military officials said the mission of the advancing troops was to neutralise LTTE mortar positions. Troops advanced in the open terrain ahead of the Muhamalai and Eluthumaduwal Forward Defence lines in the face of heavy resistance by the LTTE.

At least 60 LTTE cadres were killed and 210 wounded in fighting, according to military sources. The LTTE casualty figures cannot be independently verified.

Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said 18 soldiers including one officer were killed and 63 soldiers wounded in yesterday's fighting.

According to reports from Muhamalai, the LTTE has withdrawn to its secondary defence line following security force's advancement.

Troops have captured the LTTE forward defence bunker line in Muhamalai and Eluthumaduwal. No troop advancement had been reported from the security forces forward defence line in Nagar Kovil. Advancing troops came under artillery and heavy mortar fire directed from Elephant Pass.

Indirect fire and anti personnel mines were the main cause for the security forces' casualties, according to military sources. The LTTE had mined the area heavily, according to one military official. Troop's advancement came after the Tigers fired several rounds of Rocket Propel Grenades (RPG) at the security forces's forward defence line on Friday night.

During the recent fighting, the Tigers routinely fired at the security force's FDL with heavy mortars and artillery positioned in Iyakkachchi, south of Pallai.

The LTTE also brought the fixed wing air traffic to a halt in Jaffna when it targeted the Pallai Military Air Force with an 130 mm artillery gun positioned in Pooneryn.