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17867
Wed, 09/03/2008 - 11:02
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Lankan troops claim to capture L.T.T.E. bastion of Mallavi
T.V. Sriram
Colombo, Sept 2 (PTI) At least 65 Tamil Tiger rebels and three soldiers were killed as Sri Lankan troops continued their offensive on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ellam (L.T.T.E.) heartland claiming capture of major portions of the key Mallavi town in Kilinochchi.
Security forces marched into the town after heavy fighting on Monday-Tuesday night which spilled over to Tuesday morning as government troops cleared major portion of the small town said to be the native place of L.T.T.E. Supremo V. Prabhakaran's wife Madivadini.
"We have taken over about three-quarters of the area," an army spokesman said adding a few more adjoining vulnerable areas close to the town were yet to be cleared.
"The Mallavi town said to be native place of the L.T.T.E. supremo Prabhakaran's wife Madivadini has about 1 k.m. long main street with boutiques and shops on both sides," the army sources said.
He said the troops were hunting for remnants of the Tiger rebels manning the defences of the town. To show the government advances, the army also released pictures of the town.
They said that L.T.T.E. administrative office established in the town was also found during the operations.
The Tigers main supply routes' Vellankulam-Mankulam, Mallavi-Kokkavil, Mallavi-Nachchikuda and several link roads run across this central town.
Heavy clashes were also reported from the nearby Nachikudi town also in Kilonochchi, where Lankan troops advanced under the cover of heavy straffing carried out by air force fighter jets.
The jets pounded the L.T.T.E. mortar storing facility located 2 k.m. north of the hamlet and in brisk encounters 18 Tamil rebels were reported killed along with two lankan soldiers.
In other major incidents, as many as eight tiger militants were killed in Andankulam in Welioya on Monday, the Media Centre for National Security said.
While one L.T.T.E. cadre was killed in Navathkulam in Vavuniya, two others were gunned down in Kottakkarankulam in the region on Monday.
At least eight tiger militants were killed in Palamoddal in North-eastern Welioya on Monday. At Killinochchi, another stronghold of L.T.T.E., troops killed 16 tiger rebels and injured 18 others in heavy battles.
While two rebels were killed in Mallavi area of Mullaitivu, one soldier lost his life in a small arms fire exchange in Yogampuram in the region on Monday.
The bloodshed comes as government troops are pushing hard and deep into the rebel held territory seizing key rebel Tiger bases and towns that had long been under rebel control.
With the fall of Mallavi, a government spokesperson claimed that Sri Lankan troops were just 12 to 15 k.ms. outside the Tiger headquarters located in Kilonochchi.
The Tigers have admitted losing ground but in the past have struck back in devastating counter attacks. PTI
Colombo, Sept 2 (PTI) At least 65 Tamil Tiger rebels and three soldiers were killed as Sri Lankan troops continued their offensive on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ellam (L.T.T.E.) heartland claiming capture of major portions of the key Mallavi town in Kilinochchi.
Security forces marched into the town after heavy fighting on Monday-Tuesday night which spilled over to Tuesday morning as government troops cleared major portion of the small town said to be the native place of L.T.T.E. Supremo V. Prabhakaran's wife Madivadini.
"We have taken over about three-quarters of the area," an army spokesman said adding a few more adjoining vulnerable areas close to the town were yet to be cleared.
"The Mallavi town said to be native place of the L.T.T.E. supremo Prabhakaran's wife Madivadini has about 1 k.m. long main street with boutiques and shops on both sides," the army sources said.
He said the troops were hunting for remnants of the Tiger rebels manning the defences of the town. To show the government advances, the army also released pictures of the town.
They said that L.T.T.E. administrative office established in the town was also found during the operations.
The Tigers main supply routes' Vellankulam-Mankulam, Mallavi-Kokkavil, Mallavi-Nachchikuda and several link roads run across this central town.
Heavy clashes were also reported from the nearby Nachikudi town also in Kilonochchi, where Lankan troops advanced under the cover of heavy straffing carried out by air force fighter jets.
The jets pounded the L.T.T.E. mortar storing facility located 2 k.m. north of the hamlet and in brisk encounters 18 Tamil rebels were reported killed along with two lankan soldiers.
In other major incidents, as many as eight tiger militants were killed in Andankulam in Welioya on Monday, the Media Centre for National Security said.
While one L.T.T.E. cadre was killed in Navathkulam in Vavuniya, two others were gunned down in Kottakkarankulam in the region on Monday.
At least eight tiger militants were killed in Palamoddal in North-eastern Welioya on Monday. At Killinochchi, another stronghold of L.T.T.E., troops killed 16 tiger rebels and injured 18 others in heavy battles.
While two rebels were killed in Mallavi area of Mullaitivu, one soldier lost his life in a small arms fire exchange in Yogampuram in the region on Monday.
The bloodshed comes as government troops are pushing hard and deep into the rebel held territory seizing key rebel Tiger bases and towns that had long been under rebel control.
With the fall of Mallavi, a government spokesperson claimed that Sri Lankan troops were just 12 to 15 k.ms. outside the Tiger headquarters located in Kilonochchi.
The Tigers have admitted losing ground but in the past have struck back in devastating counter attacks. PTI
