Last days of LTTE no escape for Prabhakaran

The LTTE saw another drastic decline of LTTE held territory within the past one week as Security Forces cornered them to an area less than 450 square kilometres as of yesterday, with troops entering into areas to which the Army has never stepped in during the three decade long conflict in the North and East.

In addition to territory, the Tiger outfit is now on the verge of losing all its assets to the Security Forces as they have been left with no other option but to retreat in a hurry further deep into jungle patches in Mullaitivu with the speedy advance of the troops into their territory.

The Tiger leader is now believed to be in hiding in Puthukuduiruppu North with strong security has to readjust his terror tactics either to flee the country or to continue his battle with the Security Forces.

This situation has compelled the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to make SOS messages to Tiger sympathizers in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in the world to take speedy steps to rescue them from the humiliating defeat they are going to face at the hands of the Security Forces.

Therefore, it is obvious that Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is desperately in need of an international intervention, at least from the Indian side, to avoid the humiliating defeat he is going to face very soon.

This situation has compelled him to readjust his war tactics to delay the advance of the Security Forces at least to the area North of Puthukuduiruppu expecting a huge international intervention into the Sri Lankan situation that will enable him to avoid a humiliating defeat.

He is trying to seek international intervention by various means directing the international community’s attention out of the theatre of war to some other stage elsewhere with the support of the southern political parties sympathetic to their cause.

The emerging political situation in the South following the assassination of veteran journalist Lasantha Wickremathunga under mysterious circumstances and the attack on a media institution bear testimony to LTTE attempts to divert the attention of the international community in a new direction.

Although, investigations into the assassination of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga have not been completed yet, the Judicial Medical Officer’s Investigation has revealed that he has been stabbed to death using a sharp instrument, although the initial reports indicated that he was shot dead by an unidentified group.

During the Judicial Medical Officers inquiry, they could not trace any bullet inside his body to prove a that he was shot dead using silencer gun.

Although, there is no apparent link between this incident and the Northern battlefront and the LTTE leaders effort to avoid a humiliating defeat, the possibility of such links cannot be ruled out as a similar type situation prevailed following the assassination of UNP Jaffna district Parliamentarian T. Maheshwaran with the dawn of the year 2008.

Although, the Government was blamed for this assassination, it was later revealed that the LTTE had perpetrated the assassination of T. Maheshwaran.

Therefore, the LTTE has always proved its ability to create mysterious situations in the South for their to benefit. It could be safely said, therefore, that assassinations of this nature would definitely create favourable conditions for the LTTE.

In a way it is a sign that Tiger leader has accepted defeat much earlier than actually facing it, as he is now clinging onto such faint hopes of international intervention to bail him out..

Certain defeat

According to intelligence reports the Tiger leader is reported to have given instructions to its ground level membership to revert back to insurgency terror tactics, thus preparing contingency plans ahead of their certain defeat.

They have been instructed, to continue small type attacks similar to what they resorted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s , mingling with the civilian population in the North and East so that they can continue to disturb the Security Forces. In the Eastern province, this situation has been witnessed at several occasions with isolated bomb explosions, throwing of hand grenades and attacking individual Police officers and soldiers at guard points.So these are clear indications that the LTTE leadership, at a certain level is preparing to face its certain defeat whilst engaged in a delaying tactic to prolong the war against the Security Forces.

Though, the Tiger leadership is preparing for such a retreat the military plan of the Government has not given any room for the LTTE to retreat as they have accelerated the pace at which the remaining territories under LTTE control will be liberated.

At present, eight offensive Divisions have encircled nearly 450 square kilometres of territory of under the LTTE in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. The 55 Division under the command of Brigadier Prasanna Silva is the latest Division to enter the Vanni liberation operation after the completion of their task in the Jaffna peninsula with the capture of Chundikulam, the southern most edge of the Jaffna peninsula as of Wednesday evening.

Therefore, 55 Division, 58 Division, 57 Division, 53 Division, Task Force III, Task Force II, Task Force IV and 59 Division are advancing into the centre of the LTTE territory to push them to their final defeat.

Whilst deploying these offensive Divisions in the battle front, the Sri Lanka Army has been able to deploy more defensive Divisions to hold the areas captured by the troops.

The 56 Division operating in Omanthai, the newly formed 61 Division operating in Madhu and Mannar area, the Mannar area Headquarters, Weli Oya Area Headquarters and the newly formed Task Force V and Task Force VI are holding the ground captured by the offensive Divisions.

The Security Forces, however, have not reduced its recruitment drive as they are expecting to maintain strict security measures until they see that no Tiger cadres can escape from the battle and mingle with the civilians to engage in insurgent activities after the liberation of entire North and East from the Tiger grip.

Troops of the 55 Division under the command of Brigadier Prasanna Silva captured the last inch of the Jaffna peninsula with the capture of Chundikulam located in the southernmost edge of the Jaffna peninsula which links Jaffna district to the Mullaitivu district from the Eastern coast.

They have advanced some 40 Kilometres from Nagar Kovil defence line in the eastern edge of the Jaffna peninsula towards the South to capture Chundikulam by Wednesday evening having passed Mamunai, Thalai Adi and Vettilaikerni Sea Tiger bases along the Eastern coast of the Jaffna peninsula to reach Chundikulam.

LTTE had used all these Sea Tiger bases to monitor the movements of the Sri Lanka Navy and to smuggle in arms and ammunition to the Jaffna peninsula. At the last stages of the Jaffna battle LTTE had made use of their bigger boats to transport arms and ammunition stocks from the Jaffna peninsula to Mullaitivu.

The Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets and helicopter gunships have effectively destroyed few of these boats reaching towards Chundikulam. The video footages issued to media by the Sri Lanka Air Force very clearly indicate that these Sea Tiger boats were transporting ammunition stocks, as there were big explosions inside these boats after they were hit by the SLAF.

However, the Special Forces troops and the Commando troops had to come across heavily mined areas in the Eastern coast of the Jaffna peninsula to flush out the Tiger cadres there in the Eastern coast of the Jaffna peninsula as the LTTE engaged in a delaying battle to take time to transport arms and ammunition from the beach front area towards Mullaitivu by boats, but failed due to the presence of the SLAF.

The 551 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Wasantha Abrew led the battle towards the Chundikulam with 1 Gemunu Watch and 1 Sri Lanka Light Infantry Battalions reaching Chundikulam by Wednesday afternoon.

The 4 Gemunu Watch and 8 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment attached to the 552 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Udalupola and the 7 and 6 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment battalions attached to the 553 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Mahinda Weerasuriya assisted the 551 Brigade to achieve this task with artillery and mechanized infantry battalions providing close support.

Desperate

The troops who had advanced to Chundikulam on Wednesday had observed that the LTTE had developed the road that runs from Vettilaikerni to Chundikulam along the eastern coast to transport their heavy equipment but had not used that road to transport their arms and ammunition after the fall of Paranthan and Elephant Pass fearing that road will be cut off by the troops at any moment.

However, the capture of the entire coastal belt in the Jaffna peninsula has put the LTTE in a more desperate situation as Security Forces have further decreased the beach front available to the LTTE in the Eastern coast to a 40 km stretch.

As the Sri Lanka Navy started its operations in the Nayaru lagoon the LTTE is facing difficulties in carrying out their operations in the Eastern coast.

With 55 Division reaching to Chundikulam the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva on Thursday captured Tharmapuram village located some 16 Km East of Paranthan.

The Security Forces have never entered into Tharmapuram area in the history of the three decade long history of the Eelam War. The 7 Sinha Regiment under the command of Lt. Colonel Kithsiri Liyanage and 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Kithsiri Ekanayake captured this highly fortified Tharmapuram village giving a sever blow to the Tiger outfit.During these battles troops managed to capture many of the Tiger assets including canter trucks, weapons, i-com sets as they could capture this village in surprise moves. There are indications that LTTE had used this village as one of their hideouts as troops located a 30 feet deep underground bunker with room for 30 people.

Within the past ten days the 58 Division has been able to capture more than 150 square kilometres as they accelerated their advance towards the east capturing nearly three kilometres per day in some instances. These surprise moves by the 58 Division troops compelled the LTTE to flee the area leaving behind their assets unlike in the past.

However, troops of the 58 Division faced stiff resistance on Friday when 6 Gemunu Watch battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Kamal Pinnawala and 17 Gemunu Watch battalion under the Command of Lt. Colonel. Keerthi Kottewatta advanced towards further East of Tharmapuram. During this fierce battle a number of soldiers sacrificed their lives and some went missing whilst fighting the LTTE in huge open areas.

Troops however, were able to inflict heavy damages to the LTTE during this battle killing more than 20 Tiger cadres. With the capture of Tharmapuram 58 Division troops are poised to enter into Vishvamadu, one of the heavily fortified Tiger strongholds in the Kilinochchi - Mullaitivu district border. Fierce fighting is expected to erupt in Vishvamadu as the LTTE is holding this area as buffer zone to their high security zones North of Puthukuduiruppu.

As the battle is shifting to the unknown territory of the LTTE their assets including the prestigious air assets are now being taken under Security Forces control one after the other.

Iranamadu airstrip, considered to be the main airstrip of the LTTE was the latest to fall to the Security Forces. The 631 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Subashana Welikala stepped into this airstrip on Thursday morning after few days of intense fighting with the LTTE in the southern part of the Iranamadu airstrip.

According to sources the airstrip which is 1100 meters in length and 40 metres in width is having two hangars made out of thick layered concrete. The troops of the 631 Brigade cleared hundreds of booby traps and mines to reach this airstrip constructed across the old Kandy road in the East of Iranamadu.

The LTTE had developed the old Kandy road in the northern and southern edges of the airstrip to more than two and half kilometres in length, so that they can use that road to land their aircraft after their terror missions.

Airstrips

The LTTE has used this area as a high security zone and no civilians have been allowed to enter the area as it has been demarcated with barbed wire fences.

With the capture of this airstrip LTTE is losing its fifth airstrip to the Security Forces. The first airstrip captured by the Security Forces was in Panikkankulam area in the West of A-9 road by the 57 Division troops.

The Task Force I troops also found a part of the Pooneryn - Paranthan road which had been developed into an airstrip but there is no concrete evidence to prove that it was used by the LTTE to land or take off their aircraft.

The third airstrip was found in the North of Ampakamam by the 631 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Subashana Welikala on December 25 last year.

The forth airstrip captured was located North of Mulliyavali and was captured by the 593 Brigade under the command of Colonel Jayantha Gunaratne on January 10. According to ground troops there were signs that it has been used by the LTTE.

According to intelligence sources the LTTE is having another airstrip in the area North of Puthukuduiruppu and South of Chundikulam close to the eastern coast. As troops of the 55, 59 and 58 Divisions are advancing towards this area it will also be made untenable to the LTTE very soon, negating the air threat of the LTTE.

The 571 troops also located another facility close to Iranamdu tank, which has been used by the LTTE as an airstrip.

Therefore, it is evident that the LTTE has been using all the money flowing to the Tiger outfit from the Tamil diaspora and from various other international organizations to upgrade their military assets but not for the benefit of the common masses.

Though they have constructed such a massive number of airstrips they have not developed a single road in the Vanni for the benefit of the civilian population.

The Security Forces are poised to expose more and more facilities used by the LTTE to achieve their illusionary Tamil Eelam disregarding the plight of the civilian population who were suffering due to the activities of the LTTE.

The reality of their three decade long effort and true picture of the LTTE will be exposed once innocent civilians now arriving in Security Forces controlled area in large numbers, completely abandoning the Tiger leadership in the coming days, tell their tale.