Two women sea Tiger leaders killed

Dhaneshi Yatawara

"Two Sea Tiger leaders were killed during their aborted suicide attack on the Naval defence line in the seas off Mullaitivu on Friday, the Sri Lanka Navy said quoting the intercepted Tiger communications.

"The two leaders, 'Eshan' and 'Yaso' women Sea Tiger leaders, have been killed," Acting Navy Spokesman, Commander, Mahesh Karunaratne said.

During the attack in the wee hours of last Friday morning, Special Boat Squadron (SBS), Fast Attack Craft (FAC) and Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) of the Sri Lanka Navy thwarted the entire LTTE attack destroying two Sea Tiger suicide craft and an attack craft and killed 23 LTTE cadres. The Navy suffered no casualties and none of its craft received any damages in the incident, Sri Lanka Navy said.

According to the intercepted Tiger communications LTTE have suffered severe casualties. During the last week alone the LTTE attempted to breach the Naval defence lines in the seas off Mullaitivu and Vellamullaivaikkal. The Navy's patrol craft have been able to inflict heavy losses to the enemy on these consecutive occasions.

A well-fortified Naval blockade has been put in place to cut off all sea Tiger movements in the seas off Nayaru, Mullaitivu, Chalai and Chundikulam.

This has forced LTTE sea Tigers to make desperate attempts at breaking through the Naval defences even at the expense of heavy losses.

Naval fortifications have been tightened with four defence barriers consisting of Fast Attack Craft (FACs), Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Gun Boats (FGBs), the Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) and the Special Boat Squadron (SBS). Continuous shore-based radar surveillance is also being carried out in order to assist the Naval units to prevent remaining LTTE cadres from launching desperate attacks on advancing Security Forces personnel and to monitor any sort of movement in and out of the 'No Fire Zone'.