Tigers lose East

by Ranga Jayasuriya

The Security Forces yesterday, consolidated the coastal stretch of Vakarai, Kathiraveli and Verugal resulting in the collapse of the last Tiger enclave in the East.

A senior security forces official said the Tiger cadres were fleeing the area and small groups of Tigers have gone hiding in Kathiraveli and Mavil Aru areas. Troops on Saturday came across pockets of resistance in Kathiraveli and beat them back. "They are fighting in small groups with mortars and small arms fire," he said.

The security forces, who were in clearing operations in Vakarai, yesterday visited an LTTE cemetery, which had nearly 300 newly dug graves, a senior military official said. He said the LTTE was believed to have lost 600- 700 cadres in the battle to hold on to the coastal stretch. Forty-five security forces were killed since November 1 when the security forces launched military operations to capture Vakarai.

This number includes eight security forces personnel killed in action during this week's last leg of the operation. Two-hundred and eleven security forces personnel were wounded including 42 security personnel casualties this week. Four security Forces were killed yesterday afternoon in a Tiger mortar attack on the security forces positions in Mankerny. The security forces were yesterday going for LTTE's big artillery, which they believe could have been dismantled and buried. The LTTE had used several 122 mm artillery guns against the security forces.

A senior military official said it was impossible for the LTTE to have towed the guns with them during their retreat while the main escape routes had been cut off by the Special Forces commandos. "Either, the LTTE would have blasted the guns or buried them," said a senior military official. According to the latest reports, the Security Forces on Saturday evening found pieces of an artillery gun in Kathiraveli believed to have been destroyed by the fleeing Tiger cadres. The retreating Tigers had left several burnt-out vehicles, which included three double cabs, a canter pick-up truck, a bulldozer and two tractors.

Security Forces sources said none of the senior Tiger leaders, including Trincomalee political leader Elilan and military leader Sornam were heard in the intercepted Tiger communications during the last couple of weeks. Meanwhile, over six-thousand civilians who fled the fighting scene in Vakarai in the weekend were given temporary shelter at four welfare centres.

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