LTTE goes for another Vakarai - type operation

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Sri Lanka as a nation in South Asia passed yet another proud moment by last Monday having successfully hosted the 15th SAARC Summit and uniting the entire South Asia to make a collective effort to fight terrorism regionally and internationally.

Although many disgruntled elements tried to find fault with the SAARC Summit, as a nation fighting the most ruthless terror outfit in the world we can be proud of hosting the event without a single complaint from SAARC nations.

Sri Lanka made this event a successful one, while fighting a war in the North in the true spirit of liberating the people in the North from the clutches of terrorism the way people in the East were liberated last year.

The Tamil community might have witnessed the way Eastern Provincial Council Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, a combatant turned politician participating at the concluding session of the 15th SAARC Summit along with the Chief Ministers from other Provinces.

He is no longer an entity of a terror outfit but a part and parcel of the democratic framework of the country and has the right to stand with the other political leaders of the country representing his own community rather than being engaged in terror acts to achieve so-called Eelam hiding in the jungles in Wanni like the LTTE cadres now engaged in the final battle in Kilinochchi.

Therefore, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan gave a strong message to the international community through the SAARC summit though some leaders did not want to accept the reality due to pressure from political groups.

It is high time for Tamil civilians entrapped in the Wanni to realise the bitter truth surrounding Kilinochchi with troops inching towards the heart of their undeclared kingdom after two years of fighting in the North and East.

They should be briefed about the real situation faced by the LTTE in the Wanni as the innocent Tamil civilians entrapped in the Wanni are living in complete darkness as they have been ‘blindfolded’ by the LTTE showering them with a false picture about an illusionary victory for them.

Reports emanating from uncleared areas very clearly indicate that the LTTE is keeping civilians living in Kilinochchi distant from the real situation faced by them without taking a single body of the Tiger cadres killed in the battlefront to their administrative centre.

That is to give them the feeling that the they still have chances to beat the Security Forces advancing into their strongholds. The only way left for the civilians living in Kilinochchi about the real situation is through the sounds of the shelling now reaching closer to them with the troops advancing towards them in the Kilinochchi district.

But the LTTE has now realised the fact they no longer can mislead the innocent Tamil civilians under their iron grip as two years of Security Forces efforts have become fruitful as they have been able to complete almost two thirds of the war within two years.

The nation should recall the way our gallant troops foiled the attempts by the LTTE in August 2006 to achieve their Eelam dream by launching simultaneously attacks on Army detachments in Kattaparichchan, Mahindapura, Selvanagar on August 02 surrounding the Trincomalee harbour.

The valiant troops at the Kattaparichchan Army camp foiled the attempts by the LTTE cadres who came in waves to overrun the Army detachment in the wee hours on August 2. Major Senaka Wijesuriya the second in command of the 7th battalion of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry commanded the troops there in Kattaparichchan along with Captain Vijith Alexander for five days to turn Tiger cadres back killing dozens of them.

The LTTE attack on the Army detachments came amidst troops engaged in the humanitarian mission to liberate the Mavilaru sluice gates after commencing the battle on July 26, 2006.

It was on the wee hours of August 2 , 2006 Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka who arrived in the country from Singapore after completely recovering form the wounds of the suicide attack gave instructions to Major Senaka Wijesuriya now the Commanding Officer of the 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry Battalion engaged in fighting in the Mannar front to retaliate the Tiger offensive.

That was the first occasion Army Commander was involved in military matters after recovering from the wounds of the suicide attack by a female LTTE cadres inside the Army headquarters. If not for the untiring efforts by the Security Forces to foil the LTTE offensive today the story about the North East would have been completely different.

The attempts by the LTTE on isolated Army detachments South of Trincomalee and their subsequent offensive operation to overrun the Muhamalai and Kilali FDLs in Jaffna on August 11, 2006 which were effectively foiled by the troops overrunning the Tiger FDL were essentially turning points.

They turned things in favour of the Security Forces and put the LTTE into one of its weakest positions in its two and half decades long existence. Those who tried to overrun the Jaffna peninsula in a 72- hour operation are now committing their full strength to defend their territory in the Kilinochchi.

Fierce fighting erupted during the past one week with LTTE deploying the cream of its fighting cadres to the front under the leadership of Theepan, the overall commander for the Jaffna front. According to sources the LTTE has decided to remove all female cadres from the battlefront and deploy its hardcore cadres equipped with body amours, helmets.

Their main focus is to defend the Kilinochchi district posing stiff resistance to the troops operating in the South of Thunukkai and Mallavi. The recent battles that erupted south of Thunukkai and Mallavi were fought by the cadres shifted by Theepan from the Muhamalai front.

The effort of Theepan is to stop the forward march of the 58 Division on the Mannar Pooneryn A-32 road passing Vellankulam and entering Kilinochchi district after completely liberating the entire Mannar district.

The LTTE is trying their best to get the control of the Thunukkai Vellankulam road which had been cut off by the Security Forces from the West of Vellankulam. The LTTE is making this effort as they have realised the consequences of the fall of the areas on the North Western Coast up to Pooneryn as it would completely deprive them of their supplies from the South Indian coast across Gulf of Mannar.

It was last Saturday the Security Forces took control of the Vellankulam town the northern most township in Mannar district. Vellankulam was basically an administrative base of the LTTE where many of their Mahaveer families lived.

By the time the Security Forces captured the area the LTTE was constructing many buildings including schools for the members of the Mahaveer families. They also had massive cashew nut plantations in Vellankulam and the members who had not given their members to the LTTE had to work in these cashew nut cultivations four days a week.

The Security Forces also had found the way the LTTE had controlled the distribution of dry rations and other food items given to the people living there with the documents found in the Vellankulam AG office. With the capture of Vellankulam LTTE is losing the supply route Vellankulam Mankulam road.

The troops attached to the 58 Division are now operating just 30 Kilometres South of Pooneryn and only important townships along the A-32 road before Pooneryn is Mulangavil and Nachchikuda. After these two townships the other areas are located in jungle patches. In Mulangavil the LTTE has its biggest cemetery.

By yesterday noon the troops operating in the North of Vellankulam captured a solid LTTE military base in the general area North of Vellaimunthal. According to ground troops the captured LTTE base was the first LTTE camp on a par with the Army camps.

Troops operating East of A-32 has also advanced further northwards taking the Kilinochchi town under the artillery range of the Security Forces. According to ground troops they are only 24 kilometres away from Kilinochchi town.

A number of counter LTTE attacks were foiled by the troops attached to the 58 Division within the past few days killing more than 30 Tiger cadres and inflicting casualties on a larger number of cadres.

If troops are able to advance upto Pooneryn the Security Forces have the advantage of releasing entire Army Division now on vigilance to prevent any sea borne landing or any offensive operation towards Muhamalai and deploy them to hold the ground in Pooneryn.

With such a move the FDLs in the Muhamalai and Kilaly become invalid as the troops can easily cut of the Jaffna peninsula after advancing troops from Pooneryn to Paranthan take the entire Elephant Pass area automatically under Security Forces control.

Therefore, the Tiger leaders are desperately making attempts to launch a major assault on the flank connecting the 58 Division now operating in the North of Vellankulam and 57 Division operating in the in the South of Thunukkai and Mallavi.

The 571 Brigade under the command of Colonel G.V. Ravipriya covering the flank of the 58 Division came under frequent attacks of the LTTE during the past few days.

One of the fiercest fights on the Wanni battlefront erupted on the Vavuniya front last week with the LTTE deploying their hardcore cadres to fight the Security Forces in the Kalvilan village in the South of Thunukkai.

The 572 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel. Senerath Bandara fought fierce battles last week to foil these attempts of the LTTE to stop the advance of the troops into Thunukkai.

Meanwhile, the troops attached to the 573 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Prathap Thillekeratne have also made a considerable advance towards Mallavi from the North of Vavunikulam tank reaching close to Mallavi - Mankulam road.

The biggest barricade before the troops in capturing Thunukkai and Mallavi is the biggest open terrain surrounding Thunukkai and Mallavi towns stretching more than 70 square kilometres. The LTTE is making their best effort to prevent the troops entering the jungle area in the West of Mallavi as it provides good cover for them to move upto Kokkavil on the A-9 road.

Therefore, the battles in Thunukkai and Mallavi have turned out to be do or die battles for the LTTE as it decides even the fall of Kilinochchi the administrative hub of the LTTE.

The information indicates that the LTTE had taken the civilian population living from Omanthai to Mankulam to Kilinochchi as they are now in constant fear of troops suddenly infiltrating Kilinochchi and capturing it.

Intelligence reports also indicate that the LTTE is mobilising the civilian population into Kilinochchi to prepare for the final battle with their leaders taking the cover of the civilians after shifting their leaders into Kilinochchi.

The fighting in Kilinochchi will also turn out to be yet another Vakarai type of operation where the LTTE created a human shield surrounding their bases to protect them from the artillery threat from the Security Forces.

Therefore it has become an immediate requirement for the Government to win the hearts and minds of the people entrapped in Wanni and encourage them to be free from the clutches of the LTTE and reach the Government held areas in Wanni as soon as possible.

And all arrangements are now in place to receive them in Vavuniya providing them with food and shelter.

For this there should be a hearts and minds campaign to educate the public who are now in darkness about the real situation faced by the LTTE due to the Security Forces advance into the Wanni heartland.

If the Security Forces are able to overcome this hurdle the day they completely liberate the country from the clutches of the LTTE is not far away.