Troops train guns on Mullaitivu

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

After gaining full control of the LTTE's much talked about administrative capital - Kilinochchi - over 50,000 soldiers attached to 100 battalions are now training their guns on Vishwamadu, Dharmapuram, Puthukudiyiruppu and Mullaitivu.

Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka congratulating his troops and field commanders who regained Kilinochchi after a decade said that the military would continue its offensives from the Prabhakaran's Headquarters in Kilinochchi to capture Mullaitivu. "For the first time in the history Prabhakaran had fallen within our artillery range", he told the Sunday Observer.

According to the Army Commander, the total land area of LTTE dominance is less than 800 square kilometres and reduced its fighting capability to less than 2,000 cadres. "The size of land that is left for Prabhakaran to hide is smaller than Thoppigala", he said.

The troops of the divisions - 57 and 59 and Task Force 1, 2, 3 and 4 are now advancing towards Mullaitivu. Lt. Gen. Fonseka said that the Military had sufficient troops to end the decade long battle and would continue to attack the LTTE in the same phase. "We have already captured a part of Mullaitivu and the troops are already heading towards rest of the Mullaitivu from all fronts. Then the LTTE will only have the Ocean", he said.

The battle hardened soldier, who led many military victories in recent times, Lt. Gen. Fonseka said, the troops of the 59 division was few kilometres away from Mullaitivu town and just 2 kilometres away from the Elephant Pass. " The military pressure from Jaffna will increase and there would not be any jungles remaining for the LTTE as the Special Forces and the Commandos have already gained control of the Mullaitivu jungles", he added. He said that the troops had captured the towns as well as the jungles and the entire jungle patches were under Army control. Meanwhile, the Army Chief called the LTTE cadres, including its leaders in Mullaitivu to surrender to the Army to save their lives. He assured the safety of the cadres who surrender to the Army.

"Considerable number of civilians are now fleeing to Government controlled areas despite LTTE's orders. The Government was ready with all the necessary relief for these civilians. The number of LTTE cadres surrender to the troops have gone up as the military offensives are getting strong", he said.