15 sea Tigers killed

At least fifteen sea Tigers were killed yesterday when a flotilla of sea Tiger boats attempted an abortive attack on naval patrol craft off Thalai Mannar.

A sailor was killed and three others were wounded in the confrontation which lasted for two hours yesterday morning.

Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said three sea Tiger craft were destroyed in the clash involving the Navy's Inshore Patrol craft (IPC), better known as Waterjets and sea tiger vessels. A naval dingy was also damaged. Air Force MI 24 helicopters and F 7 attack craft were called to assist the Naval craft.

A spokesman for the Navy media office said the sea Tigers fled the battle and retreated in a village in Vedithalathivu.

"The retreating LTTE used civilians as human shields, so that Air force could not attack them," he said. He said according to civilian sources, the LTTE had asked fishermen to look for several sea Tigers who went missing in the clash after their boats were set ablaze in the naval attack.

The LTTE yesterday fired mortar towards security forces positions in Mankerny and Kajuwatta despite an assurance by the security forces to halt fire for three hours to facilitate the transport of food convoys.

The security forces earlier offered not to retaliate for LTTE fire for three hours between 3 pm and 6 pm yesterday to facilitate the transport of food convoys for over 30,000 people stranded in Tiger controlled area. "But, the LTTE continued to fire mortar and artillery at our positions in Mankerny and Kajuwatta since morning," Brigadier Samarasinghe said. The Military spokesman said irrespective of " provocations' by the LTTE, the army would cease fire for three hours to facilitate the movement of convoys.

The Vakarai AGA and the Kachcheri staff were planning to transport essentials to the stranded civilians yesterday afternoon when this edition went to press.