LTTE planning major offensive in East, says Army

by Ranga Jayasuriya

The Security forces have charged that the LTTE was planning a major offensive in the East. Intelligence reports revealed an LTTE military build up in the Tiger held Vakarai from where the LTTE had directed repeated mortar and artillery fire at the Kajuwatta and Mankerny military detachments.

LTTE cadres who deserted the Kadiraveli LTTE camp last week to surrender to the Kajuwatta military detachment have also revealed that the LTTE was planning a major offensive in the East.

According to intelligence sources an estimated 800 LTTE cadres are now locked in the Vakarai and planning an onslaught on the security forces camps in the East.

"The LTTE said it would not bargain for Sampur, but would recapture it. So the LTTE build up in Vakarai poses a grave threat," said a senior military official.

Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the security forces retaliated with Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers and artillery fire against the repeated LTTE artillery and mortar strikes on the security forces positions in Kajuwatta and Mankerny. Air Force fighter jets also carried out several sorties over LTTE positions in Kathirvali on Friday.

In another development, two sailors were killed when the LTTE exploded a claymore fragmentation mine near the third mile post in Alles Garden, Trincomalee yesterday. The Naval personnel were on a road clearing patrol when the claymore mine exploded.

In another development troops yesterday recovered a claymore mine near the Technical College, Trincomalee.

Meanwhile, a Special Task Force personel was killed and two others injured last evening in a claymore mine blast in Potuvil, Ampara.

The LTTE exploded the claymore fragmentation mine targetting a STF jeep which was on a routine patrol mission at the 10 mile post in Potuvil.

The two injured were admitted to the Ampara Hospital.

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