LTTE’s backbone broken

by our Defence Correspondent

The capture of Pooneryn by the Security Forces was hailed by key Tamil political figures saying that it was somewhat like breaking the backbone of the LTTE.

Praising the bold efforts of the Security Forces in taking control of Pooneryn, Jaffna District Parliamentarian and the Eelam People’s Democratic Party leader Douglas Devananda said that the capture of Pooneryn was a great victory in establishing peace in the north.”

I would say that by capturing Pooneryn the LTTE’s backbone has been broken. The outfit was using the area as a strategic spot to launch attacks by sea and land into the Jaffna Peninsula. However, with the fall of Pooneryn to the Security Forces a new pathway is now open to link the north and south via the north western region.

I believe the capture of Pooneryn will also lead to the overall capture of Kilinochchi and the A-9 highway very soon,” Devananda said.

The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal leader and Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan commended the immense hard work of the Armed Forces in taking control of Pooneryn. “The capture of Pooneryn will lead towards a new avenue in creating peace in the north and defeating the LTTE in the Wanni. I appreciate the wisdom and precise planning of the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka in overpowering the LTTE in Pooneryn.

The new route via Pooneryn to Jaffna will give the people in the Peninsula to interact more closely with the outside world,” Karuna said. The PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Sitharthan said that the fall of Pooneryn to the Security Forces was significant in the fight against the LTTE.”

The capture of Pooneryn has closed the sea and land access routes used by the LTTE into the Peninsula. I believe that the capture of Pooneryn would be a big boost for the Security Forces in marching towards Kilinochchi,” Sitharthan said.