Govt will not slow down military offensive - Basil Rajapaksa

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

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Refuting charges by certain political parties that the government has slowed down the military offensive to liberate the Wanni due to Indian pressure, the government reiterated yesterday that the military offensive would not be stopped and India would not interfere in Sri Lanka's efforts to eradicate terrorism.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) at a recent media briefing claimed that the government had suspended air strikes and ground attacks due to pressure from India.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa refuting these claims said that India had never pressurised Sri Lanka to stop the military offensive to eradicate LTTE terrorism and that the government had not stopped any military action in Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu.

"The military offensive launched according to a plan is going ahead steadily according to schedule", he told the Sunday Observer, yesterday.

Asked whether there was any move to halt the troops going beyond Kilinochchi, he said that the military campaign would continue until the entire Northern region was liberated from LTTE terrorism. "The Security Forces would not go an inch back and the mission to liberate the Wanni would continue steadily until our mission to liberate the people is accomplished," Rajapaksa said.

The Defence Secretary who endorsed his brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa's stand said that a military solution was for the terrorists and a political solution was for the people in this country. He said that politics and terrorism were two different issues and the government would solve the military issue militarily and resolve the political problem politically.

Soon after the JVP's claims, the Security Forces took on several targets during the week.

With the capture of Nachchikuda and Jayapuram - the two vital LTTE bases on the A-32 Mannar-Pooneryn Road, the troops are moving forward to capture the Akkarayankulama Tank bund area. The troops of the 59 Division inflicted heavy casualties on the LTTE.