Troops capture Pooneryn

Last Tiger bastion on North Western coast falls:

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA

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Troops of the 58 Division took full control of Pooneryn, the last bastion of the LTTE on the Western coast in the wee hours of yesterday.

Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa of this landmark victory of the Security Forces as the President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Security Forces.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced the victory of the troops and congratulated the valiant troops whilst inviting the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to lay down arms and enter into the path of negotiations.

The 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva were operating in the Western edge of the Kilinochchi front to take control of the Pooneryn-Paranthan B-69 road at the ninth Mile Post and reached Pooneryn capturing more than an eleven kilometre stretch amidst stiff resistance from the LTTE, military sources told the Sunday Observer.

“In the early hours of yesterday troops of the 12 Gajaba Regiment and 10 Gajaba Regiment took control of the Pooneryn-Paranthan road at the ninth mile post up to Pooneryn junction with the support of the Commandos and Special Force troops. Fierce fighting continued till 3.30 am yesterday until the LTTE withdrew from the area”, a senior military official said.

By last evening troops took full control of enter Pooneryn including Kalamunai Point, Dutch Port, Sanguppiddy Jetty, Nagathivanthurai, Pooneryn and Coma Point where Sri Lanka Army had their camps prior to 1994, Brigadier Silva added.

Troops were engaged in search and clear operations in the area yesterday afternoon. The capture of Pooneryn marks the opening of a land route for the military to reach Jaffna for the first time after thirteen years.

The LTTE had its arms smuggling points from Silavathura in the South of Mannar to Pooneryn and now the entire North Western coast is beyond the reach of Sea Tigers.

With the capture of Pooneryn the LTTE threat on the Jaffna town and Jaffna islands is also minimised as it was the LTTE’s launching pad for artillery attacks on the Jaffna peninsula and Jaffna islands.

The capture of Pooneryn is also significant as troops can easily control the Kilali and Jaffna lagoons which can be used by the LTTE to launch lightning attacks on the Security Forces operating in Jaffna’s FDLs.