26 rebels, three soldiers killed in Lanka clashes

T V Sriram

Colombo, Oct 1 (PTI) At least 26 Tamil Tigers and three
soldiers were killed in fierce clashes as fighter jets hit
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (L.T.T.E.) targets in the
rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka's embattled
north, where special forces also detected an air strip being
used by the guerrillas.

Troops operating north of Vannivilankulama in Mullaittivu
Tuesday located a 500-metre long airstrip, believed to have
been used by the L.T.T.E. for emergency landing as late as
Tuesday afternoon, officials said Wednesday.

According to military, the airstrip was located seven kms
northwest of Mankulama and about 500m west of the A-9 trunk
road in general area Pankikkankulama.

"It is believed the airstrip could have also been used as
an open parking space or a hangar," Army sources were quoted
saying.

Separately, Sri Lankan Air Force supersonic fighter jets
Wednesday carried out three simultaneous raids, targeting
L.T.T.E. administrative and logistic bases located in
Kilinochchi area. The raids included one on an L.T.T.E.
gathering point located three kms northeast of
Piramanthalkulama, Kilinochchi.

The fighter jets raided two key L.T.T.E. facilities with
precision in north of Thiruvaiaru in Kilinochchi. "A target
engaged was identified as a major foothold of L.T.T.E.'s
'Charles Anthony unit' while the other was described as a
hardcore female cadre training facility," Air Force sources
said.

The targets were successfully acquired on real-time
ground and aerial reconnaissance information received, they
said.

In ground clashes, troops destroyed two L.T.T.E. bunkers
in Andankulam in northeastern Welioya Tuesday, the Media
Centre for National Security (M.C.N.S.) said, adding one rebel
was killed and six soldiers injured in the incident.

In another confrontation, security forces killed five
Tiger rebels and injured 10 in Andankulam area while a soldier
lost his life during a clash in Ranabapura in Welioya
Tuesday.

As many as two L.T.T.E. bunkers were captured after the
security forces killed seven L.T.T.E. cadres in Vannerikulam
area in Kilinochchi Tuesday, the M.C.N.S. said.

It said two soldiers also died due to an L.T.T.E. mortar
attack and a booby trap explosion.

Separately, the troops shot dead six Tiger rebels at
Manneyankulam in Kilinochchi Tuesday, the military said.

Fierce clashes at Podunkampily in Vavuniya left two more
L.T.T.E. rebels dead, the M.C.N.S. said. While two Tamil
Tigers were shot dead in Weemankallu, another two were killed
in Pandiyankulam Tuesday.

The security forces killed an L.T.T.E. cadre in Palamodei
North in Vavuniya Tuesday in a confrontation, officials
said.