Troops now two kilometres south of Kilinochchi

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA

The scenario in the Wanni battle front is changing so fast not leaving any room for the LTTE to think of any strategy to face the Security Forces who have already advanced to the doorstep of their so-called Kilinochchi capital. The LTTE is facing twin threats simultaneously from the ground and from the air as troops are heading towards Kilinochchi from all corners to deprive the LTTE of their pride as the most ruthless terror outfit in the world.

The defeat the LTTE is facing is not only from the Security Forces, who are determined to eliminate them, but also from the Tamil community whom they claim to be their sole representative and fighting on behalf of their liberation as they are fast losing control over the remaining Tamil population in Wanni which is estimated to be nearly 200,000.

Now the Tamil community has realized the fact that Prabhakaran is the real messenger of death of the Tamil community and not the saviour of the Tamil community as Prabhakaran claims, as he is no longer in a position to even save his life from the Security Forces from whom he is frantically running for his life from one hide out to another to avoid becoming a target of the Air Force fighter jets.

How can the Tamil community expect their liberation from Prabhakaran who cannot even save his life from the Security Forces. A community which disregards his inability to feed them at least with essentials like food and shelter? That is why the Tamil civilians have started fleeing from the areas where the LTTE is having their military, training and logistic bases.

The Tamil people have now realized the fact that anything associated with the LTTE close to them would be a death warrant for them too.

That was why they have started abandoning the areas South of Kilinochchi towards what they feel to be more safer places for them.

Reports indicate that with the direct message that troops have reached their doorstep in Kilinochchi, they have started moving further towards Vishvamadu and Puthukuduiruppu in Mullaitivu District, isolating the LTTE in Kilinochchi for them to continue their battle with the Security Forces.

The Security Forces have declared two no fire zones in Vishvamadu, and Oddusudan to guarantee the safety of the civilians fleeing from Kilinochchi.

What is most baffling for the LTTE now trying their best to defend Kilinochchi is not only the ground troops but the frequent air raids carried out by the fighter jets of the Sri Lanka Air Force targeting all sorts of LTTE installations in Kilinochchi.

The SLAF fighter jets leave not a single LTTE installation be it be a military, training, logistic or a meeting place of leaders in Kilinochchi within the past three to four days. Fighter jets of the SLAF carried out dozens of air raids on LTTE targets in Kilinochchi putting the LTTE in one of the most miserable situations in the three decades long conflict.

What intelligence reports indicate is that the Tiger leadership has been completely baffled by this series of air raids targeting namely the Charles Anthony Brigade Headquarters in South of Kilinochchi Hospital along with another female Tiger base. On Wednesday alone, the SLAF fighter jets carried out three missions targeting LTTE military, training, administrative and logistic facilities.

On Thursday Air Force fighter jets targeted the key facilities located in Kilinochchi claiming that LTTE headquarters in Kilinochchi had been targetted. But this time LTTE did not hesitate to accept the fact that their Political headquarters and Peace Secretariat buildings in Kilinochchi were targeted by the Air Force.

The pro-LTTE Tamilnet website carried the photographs of the damaged buildings of the LTTE Political headquarters and the Peace Secretariat building in Kilinochchi could be with the intention of taking the sympathy of the international community as these two buildings were famous among those who visited Kilinochchi during the ceasefire period as the LTTE used to host and meet all their foreign visitors to Kilinochchi in these two buildings.

But they have forgotten the fact that the Security Forces have targeted these buildings after legitimately withdrawing from the Ceasefire Agreement and declaring war against the LTTE.

It was not the end of the air raids on LTTE targets in Kilinochchi.

The SLAF fighter jets, launched from Katunayake, also bombed the LTTE Police headquarters building in Kilinochchi. "The Sri Lankan Air Force targeted the office complex of Tamil Eelam Police Headquarters, located in the centre of Kilinochchi town, this morning, 03 October 2008.

Tamil Rehabilitation Organization's store situated along with the Police Headquarters were also badly damaged in this attack", the official website of the LTTE Peace Secretariat said on Friday.

This must be the first time the LTTE has admitted the fact that their offices have been damaged in air raids after they accepted the fact that their Political Chief S. P. Thamilselvan was killed in an air raid.

It was a clear indication that they are not in position to bear the pressure put on them by the Security Forces from all directions by air, long range artillery and most fiercely by the ground troops facing their well trained cadres in battlefronts in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

With these developments Kilinochchi has become the focal point of the Wanni liberation battle as troops had closed in two Kilometres into the outskirts of Kilinochchi town by yesterday.

According to ground troops the most fierce battles in the two and half decades long conflict is now unfolding in the outskirts of Kilinochchi and also in the North Western part of the country facing the troops advancing towards Pooneryn direction.

As Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka announced last week that the Security Forces had commenced the final blow on the LTTE in the outskirts of Kilinochchi having advanced three kilometres south of Kilinochchi outskirts at the edge of Iranamadu.

All guns are now trained towards the centre of Kilinochchi as troops have already taken the outer periphery of this highly defended town which starts to stretch from Iranamadu area, within the 60 mm and 80 mm mortar range.

Amidst the signs that the fierce fighting would erupt in this region, civilians have already left the area towards the Vishvamadu and Puthukuduiruppu areas.

By this time the Security forces attached to the 57 Division specially the 572 Brigade and the 571 Brigade are advancing towards Kilinochchi from various directions.

The troops are now moving ahead of the Akkarayankulam - Murikandy road that links to the A-9 road close to famous Murikandy Hindu temple amidst heavy resistance from the LTTE. Pitched battles erupted in this section of road as troops advanced further Northward from the Akkarayankulam Murikandy Road.

LTTE suffered heavily whilst Security Forces also suffered considerable number of casualties in these fierce battles in their bid to advance towards Kilinochchi from this direction braving the LTTE mine fields and also their counter attacks to thwart their efforts.

The LTTE has already lost control of this vital Akkaraynakulam- Murikandi Road that leads upto Nachchikuda in the North Western coast as troops attached to the 58 Division are now holding a vital section of this road from the North of Karambakulam.

But LTTE has created yet another barrier for the troops heading toward Kilinochchi from the East of Akkarayankulam after constructing another huge earth bund from the Akkarayan Murikandi Road towards North West direction.

The troops attached to 4 Sinha Regiment under the command of Subashana Welikala came across this earth bund on Wednesday. According to information it stretches for nearly four kilometres towards North West direction.

The intention of the LTTE is to further delay the Security Forces advance towards creating a defence line covering the Kilinochchi town most probably for them to shift from Kilinochchi to another safer location along with the civilians as they are sure that their defeat is certain if they are isolated from the civilians.

Whilst troops attached to the 572 Brigade under the command of Colonel Senerath Banadara is heading towards Kilinochchi, the troops attached to the 573 Brigade, also made headway towards the A-9 road .

The section of A-9 road from Mankulam to Kokavil is almost under the control of the Security Forces though they are not dominating the road at any point. Therefore, this section of A-9 road can be described as an area dominated both by the Security Forces and the LTTE. But the forward domination teams of the Security Forces are now dominating even some areas in the East of A-9 road too though they do not hold the road for tactical purposes.

It was during these advances towards the A-9 road the troops attached to 7 Sri Lanka Light Infantry battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Ranjith Abeyratne came across an LTTE airstrip in Panikkankulam located 7 kilometres NorthWest of Mankulam on Tuesday afternoon.

Apparently, the LTTE had used this airstrip for their training purposes as it is equipped with taxi ways and parking areas.

However, the troops conducting search operations in the area have also found a wreckage of a double cab vehicle in this vicinity probably used by an LTTE leader.

The capture of the 500 metres long and 50 metres wide airstrip is a major victory for the Security Forces as this is the first occasion the Security Forces have come across this type of airstrip though they have observed such facilities through satellite images and through video clippings recorded by the Unman Aerial Vehicles.

The Sri Lanka Air Force, claims that they had detected this airstrip long time ago and had bombed this area on several occasions but nothing had been detected recently. Ground troops also confirm that there are signs the area had been bombed on several occasions. The camouflaged double cab which is there in the vicinity is said to have been destroyed in such an attack, the ground troops believe.

Apart from this, the Security Forces also have moved into Kokavil area where the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation had its transmission towers with a big history relating to the sacrifices made by Lt. Aladeniya in defending this transmission tower from the LTTE, sacrificing his life killing large number of Tiger cadres who came to blast this tower.

Therefore, the time frame to capture Kilinochchi will be decided by the LTTE's capability to defend this area with their ability to delay the troops, advancement with the construction of earth bunds and their ability to survive with their available man power and the firepower and the way they are going to face the advancing troops.

But the capture of Kilinochchi is not the end of the battle. The Security Forces have to further move towards Paranthan and Elephant Pass on the A-9 road whilst troops in Muhamalai had to advance further southwards to take control of the remaining areas in the Jaffna peninsula. Therefore, both the Security Forces and the LTTE should take accounts of their capabilities to continue the decisive war.

The Sri Lanka Army has already geared up for this phase launching yet another recruitment drive of another 10,000 soldiers to the Army.

There is a proven record with the Army within the last two years especially after the liberation of the East that they are getting enough numbers of youth to the Army.

Therefore, the SLA had not faced any manpower shortage that would thin out their strength from the East, Jaffna or from down South where the LTTE tried to create a panic situation after inducting handful of their cadres into the Yala National Park and adjoining jungle patches.

Instead of thinning out troops in other areas the SLA was able to form four offensive Divisions only for the Wanni liberation operation, namely the 57 Division now under the command of Major General Jagath Dias, Task Force -I under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva, 59 Division under the command of Brigadier Nandana Udawatta and Task Force -II now operating under the command of Brigadier Rohana Bandara.

Apart from this, two offensive Divisions have been deployed in the Jaffna front 53 Division under the command of Brigadier Kamal Gunaratne and 55 Division under the command of Brigadier Prasanna Silva.

In addition to these offensive divisions now in operation, Army Headquarters is now initiating steps to form yet another offensive division under the name Task Force III very soon to be deployed for the Wanni liberation operation.

The area of deployment of this offensive Division will be decided by the Army Commander very soon with developments taking place in the battlefront.

So the LTTE would face a challenging situation to face a growing Army with superior firepower and strong backing from the civilian population in the South whilst handling an organization with deteriorating man power and weakening firepower and also lacking public support.

Even at this moment the LTTE is facing severe shortage of manpower as they have to use its reserve to defend Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu frantically moving reinforcements from one place to another to face the Security Forces.

This fact proved beyond any doubt within the past few days as Theepan and Bhanu continuously asked reinforcements from the Muhamalai front to face the troops in Akkarayan and in Karambakulam in the West of Akkarayan in 58 Division front.

According to Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka if LTTE loses another 2,000 cadres the LTTE will have to rethink their future again either to continue its war against the Sri Lankan Government, to prey into the Security Forces or to lay down their arms and save the remaining cadres in the outfit for the sake of the Tamil community.

At this juncture it is very difficult for them to get supplies from outside the country as the areas, especially coastal belt under their control has been severely restricted by the advancing troops.

Though Tamil Diaspora across the globe, even amidst severe restrictions internationally on the LTTE, is willing to fund them they won't be able to get that support from them as they have no access to bring those supplies to their areas.

Therefore, the time is not too far for the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to see his dooms day inside an underground bunker.