Fighting continues for the third day

46 Tigers killed :

Intermittent artillery and mortar fire by the stranded LTTE terrorist groups in Omanthai West and Mannar South continued for a third day yesterday.

Defence sources said the terrorists have been firing from locations ahead of the Forward Defense Line (FDL). The security forces have retaliated killing more than 46 Tigers and injuring over 70. Sporadic fighting during the last 48 hours has killed nine soldiers and injured 42. Apart from 46 Tigers killed in the confrontations, a large number were believed to be injured.

Troops on foot patrol in Unnichchi in Ampara area came under LTTE's small arms fire last morning. In retaliation, Army killed six Tigers and injured many, sources in the East added.

Meanwhile, Military spokesman, Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said yesterday that the military operation was launched to neutralize the rebel gun positions in the Mannar-Vavuniya area as intermittent rebel fire were directed at them from those areas.

Since the fighting broke out, the ICRC officials serving the Omanthai check point, north of Vavuniya pulled out as a result of LTTE's heavy shelling on the cross loading point.

Contraband, motorcycle accessories and a stock of medicine while being ready to be transported to an LTTE held area in two wooden boats in the guise of fishing boats, was apprehended by naval troops about one kilometre westward of Pallimunai, Mannar.

Acting on information received by the Navy, troops carried out a sudden raid in the said area and two wooden boats with three persons who had loaded the contraband were seized.