SLAF jets, Navy boats destroy Sea Tigers

18 cadres killed, six boats sunk:

By Ananth PALAKIDNAR

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The Kfir fighter jets of the Air Force and the Special Boat Squadron of the Navy inflicted heavy casualties on the LTTE Sea Tigers on the seas of Chempianpattu and Thalayadi in the North-Eastern region killing 18 Sea Tiger cadres including a Sea Tiger leader called Lt. Col. Kannan yesterday, Navy spokesperson Commander D. K. P. Dassanayake said.

Commander Dassanayake told the Sunday Observer that the joint operation carried out by the Air Force jets and the Special Boat Squadron of the Navy inflicted a severe blow on the Sea Tigers in the North Eastern waters in the early hours yesterday. "The Navy in Point Pedro monitored the Sea Tiger boat movements in the seas of Thalayadi in the North-Eastern waters in the wee hours yesterday.

Thereafter, the Navy's Special Boat Squadron was sent to the area and the Squadron destroyed six LTTE boats, one of them meant for a suicide attack successfully.

Eighteen Sea Tiger cadres were killed in the attack that was carried out at 5.30 am yesterday. "We have recovered the four bullet ridden bodies of the Sea Tigers," he said.

A senior Sea Tiger cadre, called Lt. Col. Kannan was also killed in yesterday's attack and we confirmed it when the LTTE communication was intercepted, Dassanayake said.

The Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakara told the Sunday Observer that the Air Force jets coordinated with the Navy in the attack and got rid of two LTTE boats in the North-Eastern seas of Chempianpattu.

The Air Force attack was carried out at 8.30 a.m. yesterday, according to the spokesperson. Elaborating on the attack the Navy spokesperson Dassanayake said that the Sea Tigers were planning for a major attack in the North-Eastern seas with their suicide craft laden with explosives.

"However, the joint attack of the Navy and the Air Force turned the LTTE's intentions the other way round inflicting heavy casualties on them.