Military offensive in Wanni will continue despite SAARC - Army Chief

by Shanika Sriyananda

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The on-going military offensive in the Wanni targeting the LTTE heartland will not be stopped during the 15th SARRC Summit, said the Army Chief Lt. General Sarath Fonseka.

He told the 'Sunday Observer' that no troops in the Northern battle fronts will be diverted to Colombo to provide security for the SARRC Summit and there will be no change in the scheduled military offensives.

However, an additional 2,000 troops will be deployed to Colombo to support the Sri Lanka Police.

The Army Chief said that considering the present security situation in the country, the Indian Army will be deployed during the Summit to provide maximum security to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Indian delegates.

However, they will not be given the task of maintaining ground security.

The Army Commander said that 3,000 Indian troops would not arrive in the country but a considerable number of well trained Indian troops will be deployed to provide security for the Indian delegates.

Lt. Gen. Fonseka said that the three divisions - in Mannar - the Task Force 1, in West of A9 -the 57 division and in Weli Oya - the Task Force 2 - would continue to reach the Wanni heartland and these advancing troops would take beach frontages. "As the 57 Division advances, the LTTE will soon lose control of the A-9 Road.

The security forces are now in line with Mankulam. Hence, we can check any movement South of Mankulam on the A 9 Road. The LTTE is losing the major facilities they were enjoying in that area", he said.

The LTTE had withdrawn their artillery and heavy guns and mortar positions as they failed to face the military offensives. "The artillery guns which were ahead of the Vavuniya defence line have gone 40kms back.

After capturing Thunukai, we will reach an artillery range of Killinochchi, Mankulam and Iranamadu", he said.