Troops march towards last Tiger terrain

The LTTE which has been isolated locally and internationally after tens of thousand civilians leaving behind their leader Prabhakaran in a small strip of land in the `No Fire Zone', (NFZ) showed up its peak of desperation this week as they come out with their desperate bids to survive with a series of suicide attempts, seven attempts within 24 hours as troops rapidly advanced towards the last ditch of battle to rescue the remaining civilians from the Tiger grip.

They were engaged in a weird battle with the advancing troops of the 58 Division who have already confine the LTTE into a five km strip of land in the `No Fire Zone'. Although there had been many attempts to rescue the remaining Tiger cadres including its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, the most wanted terrorist, by some international players in the guise of offering a Ceasefire to rescue the remaining civilians the Government strictly maintained the policy not to offer a last minute Ceasefire despite numerous pressures on it internationally.

However, the Government showed up its commitment to safeguard the safety of the civilians trapped inside the `No Fire Zone' after officially declaring its decision to stop combat operations using heavy caliber weapons, combat aircraft and other aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties.

The decision was taken on Monday by the President, following specially convened Security Council meeting. That was to show up its deeper commitment to safeguard the lives of the civilians trapped inside the `No Fire Zone'.

Although, there was no need to come out with such a statement, as troops have so far displayed their excellent commitment to protect the civilian lives during this biggest hostage rescue operation, it came up with this statement to prove its official commitment toward this task.

But it was not aimed at appeasing the undue demands from the international community to go for a Ceasefire to rescue the remaining civilians as Sri Lanka Army is not engaged in an inhumane operation to achieve their final goal of defeating terrorism after putting the lives of thousands of civilians at risk, like the Western world did it in Afghanistan, Iraq and few other countries where tens of thousands civilians died in vain.

The Sri Lankan government indeed maintains the policy of zero casualties in the war, unlike the Western nations like US and UK who did not count civilians casualties in their bid to catch the prize which was worth more than the civilian lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Not only the Sri Lankan Security Forces maintained this policy, but had also shown to the entire world after rescuing more than 115, 000 civilians out of the `No Fire Zone' safely without causing any harm to them.

The Sri Lankan State is very much concerned about the plight of the civilians trapped inside the `No Fire Zone' and are making every possible effort to rescue them without causing any harm. Not only that the Sri Lankans mostly the Sinhalese people have extended their hand of friendship towards the civilians fleeing from the `NFZ' after gathering all required things for these civilians voluntarily and donating them to the Government to be distributed among them.

Therefore, the Tamil Diaspora sowing the seeds of hatred between the Sinhala and the Tamil communities saying that the Sri Lankan Security Forces are engaged in genocidal attacks against the Tamil community of Sri Lanka can feel what they are doing at present is totally wrong by supporting the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran who put the lives of thousands of these innocent civilians in such a misery. What they should do at this moment is to come up to the help of these innocent, civilians who had escaped from the death trap of the LTTE in side the `No Fire Zone' as they need a moral support to rise from the agony they had undergone under treachery of Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. The Tamil Diaspora across the globe, should exert pressure on the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to release the remaining civilians without putting their lives in danger.

But since Sri Lankan Army which has proven its skill to rescue such a large number of civilians at once, there is no need to go for Ceasefire at the tail end of the battle giving into the clandestine bids by vested interested parties to rescue Prabhakaran and the remaining leaders like Pottu Amman and Soosai from the `NFZ'. Therefore, the Security Forces believe that they can achieve the final goal of capturing the last inch of land which is under Tiger control inside the `No Fire Zone'. For this task two offensive Divisions the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva and 53 Division under the command of Major General Kamal Gunaratne is now ready to advance towards the remaining areas in Vellamullivaikkal and Kariyamullivaikkal.

The 58 Division which first entered the `NFZ' on April 20 after their advance towards the South linked up with the 53 Division which was operating along the Pooneryn-Paranthan road in the south of Rettavikkal on Thursday preparing the ground for their advance towards the South.

It was after the capture of the northern part of the `No Fire Zone' in Puthumattalan and Ampalavanpokkanai , infantry battalion attached to the 58 Division commenced their operations towards the southern part of the `NFZ'. Initially the 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry Battalion advanced towards the Valayamadam North area amidst stiff resistance from the LTTE. Although, Special Forces and Commando troops supported this mission at the initial stage they were later withdrawn from that mission and has been kept as a reserve to be deployed in the battle at a critical stage.

Thereafter, the 10 Sri Lanka Light Infantry Battalion and 12 Gemunu Watch battalion were deployed to that mission and they captured Valayamadam area on Sunday following a successful attempts they made during their advance.

During these operations the infantry troops had to be more concern about the civilians who were held captive by the LTTE and to avoid firing artillery and mortar into the zone the LTTE was firing their heavy calibre weapons, including artillery, mortar, pedal gun and battle tanks.

The troops who have been advised not to use any heavy calibre weapons under any circumstances during this operation had to take the brunt of the Tiger fire but managed to advance further southwards amidst troops sustaining injuries.

They were successful in their mission as they were able to rescue more civilians from the Tiger grip as more than 2,500 civilians were rescued from that area on Sunday alone.

But the most challenging task of capturing heavily fortified earth bund which separated the `NFZ' into two from the South of Valayamadam came on Monday night. The LTTE had constructed this earth bund soon after they were defeated in Puthukudiyiruppu as they took every possible avenue for the Security Forces to reach the most sensitive area in the `NFZ'.

The earth bund which was constructed from the beach front to lagoon front right across the No Fire Zone from East to West in the South of Valayamadam was 10 feet in height and 700 metres in length. There was a 6 feet deep ditch behind that earth bund so that troops attempting to cross this earth bund end up in falling into that ditch.

Since the situation was quite challenging, the General Officer Commanding of the 58 Division Brigadier Shavendra Silva took a decision to cross this earth bund during the night as the resources which can be committed to this operation was limited with the latest decision by the Government.

Strict instructions were given to the troops not to fire artillery, mortar and other heavy weapons during this operation. Therefore, troops were equipped only with their small arms during this operation.

Troops also had to bear the heat during the day light hours and to engage in their operations during the nights amid all the constraints they have to face within this narrow stretch of land.

Despite this situation infantrymen attached to the 58 Division were able to capture the earth bund following a close quarter fighting with the LTTE cadres holding on to the earth bund.

But, the real fighting began after troops dominated the earth bund. The LTTE leaders, who were totally disappointed with the situation, sent an explosive laden truck into the earth bund around 1.30 a.m in the morning. Soldiers who were ready to face any eventuality displayed their gallantry firing RPGs on the truck which was moving fast towards the earth bund. Troops, managed to blow up the explosive laden truck even without an iota of regard for their safety, knowing they would also perished in the explosion.

But it was not the end. On Wednesday too the LTTE made several suicide attempts to recapture the earth bund in Rettavaikkal. According to military there had been six suicide missions by the LTTE to recapture the earth bund between 2.30 a.m to 4.30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Three suicide cadres, two explosives laden motorbikes and a double cab were blown off by the troops before they reached the military controlled areas. It was a display of gallantry by the troops, even though they were aware of the fact that they too will be blown off once they fire RPGs to those moving vehicles but they did it for the sake of the country.

A number of soldiers sacrificed their lives and some were wounded but managed to withhold to all suicide missions by the LTTE which had become the sole weapon of the LTTE at this moment.

Even under the circumstances the 58 Division troops managed to advance further south of the earth bund and had linked up with the 53 Division troops operating in the South of Valayamadam. The 58 Division along with the 53 Division are now heading towards the junction which links the Puthumattalan-Mulluaitivu road onto the Paranthan - Mullaitivy A-35 Road.

Even on Friday the LTTE made desperate attempts to launch a sea borne attack on the ground troops during the past few days. However, ground troops supported by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Air Force managed to destroy quite a number of Tiger suicide boats and armed boats which tried to land on the beach front.

During the past one week the Sri Lanka Navy has intensified their patrolling in the Mullaitivu seas as there were possibilities for the LTTE leader and cadres to flee from the country by boats.

The main concern of the Navy, now is to capture Tiger leader Prabhakaran if he makes any attempt to flee the country with the ground troops advancing towards his hideout. Amidst this situation, the visit of UK Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary of State David Miliband and French Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Dr. Bernard Kaouchner also became a hot topic among the international media as there were speculations that they had arrived here to exert pressure on the Government to go for a Ceasefire to get the civilians out of the `NFZ'.

However, during the briefing given to the visiting foreign ministers at the Foreign Ministry, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has stated that there is no need to go for a Ceasefire at this juncture to liberate the civilians as more than 85 per cent civilians trapped inside the `NFZ' has already arrived in military controlled areas.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa have maintained the position that there is no need of a Ceasefire to rescue the remaining civilians inside the `No Fire Zone'.

Diplomatic sources also indicate that many more countries are trying get the Government to offer a Ceasefire for the remaining civilians to flee from the No Fire Zone.

But reliable sources indicate that it was after LTTE's newly appointed Chief Negotiator K.P. Pathmanathan's (KP) discussions with the Norwegians, a suggestion was made for the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to surrender to a third party.

That suggestion made by United States was totally rejected by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa saying that if they was a surrendering by the LTTE, it should be done to the Security Forces but not before any third party.

According to diplomatic sources the suggestion for Prabhakaran to surrender to a third party had emerged after Tamil Tigers operating inside the No Fire Zone had made a desperate plea from KP to do something to rescue the remaining Tiger cadres including Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

However, it has been reported that the KP has suggested that Prabhakaran and the remaining Tiger cadres surrender to the Sri Lankan Government as there is no other option available for them. But that suggestion has been apparently rejected by the LTTE leadership

But KP had prolonged discussions with the Norwegians to get a third, party, most probably a Nordic country, to be involve in the Tiger leaders surrender. However, the third party involvement has been totally rejected by the Government.

Meanwhile, intelligence report indicate that following the suggestion made by KP for the remaining Tiger cadres to surrender, the Tiger cadres trapped inside the No Fire Zone has been divided in their opinion. Majority of the Tiger cadres are making appeals to the Tiger leadership to surrender to the Security Forces whilst another section of Tiger cadres numbering less than 100 are suggesting that they should fight till the last cadre killed.

So, a desperate situation has arisen among the Tiger cadres trapped inside the NFZ at present whether to surrender or to continue their fight till the last inch of land is captured by the Security Forces.

Amidst this situation intelligence reports also indicate that the LTTE leadership is getting ready to flee the country thus preparing six high powered boats and another five boats packed with ration packets.

But they are displaying their desperation within this week as they have resorted to all out suicide attempts to avoid their defeat. It gives a strong indication that their days are numbered inside the no Fire Zone as 58 and 53 Divisions are now ready to speedily move towards the last goal to capture Prabhakaran dead or alive and to see an end to this problem very soon.