Lankan Army captures strategic town

T V Sriram

Colombo, Oct 20 (PTI) After smashing through main outer
defences of the crucial city of Kilinochchi, Sri Lankan Army
Monday captured Vannerikulam town and encircled Nachchikudha,
the main sea Tiger base, after fierce fighting which left 33
soldiers dead.

Apparently, stepping up their offensive to capture
L.T.T.E. headquarter, government troops overnight and Monday
morning launched a fierce offensive to capture the
Vannerikulam town for which the Tigers put up a stiff
resistance.

Another task force of the army got close to the biggest
sea Tiger base in which 11 L.T.T.E. were killed, defence
ministry said.

The new offensive brought the army a step closer to
capturing the militants' de facto capital of Kilinochchi in
northern Sri Lanka, the military said.

Fight for Vannerikulam village, west of rebel capital
Kilinochchi, was termed as challenging by the army as they had
to overrun a massive earth barrier erected by the Tigers as
anti-tank defence.

The changing of hands of the village could make the
army's offensive towards the Tiger's headquarters easier.

Simultaneously, timing their attack on Nachchikudha with
operations further West, army encircled the last major sea
tiger foothold on the northwestern coast.

"During these clashes on the weekend, 33 soldiers were
reported killed in action, 48 injured and 3 others were
reported missing," the defence ministry said in a statement.

But a pro-rebel website claimed that Tigers had allowed
troops to advance to trap them under heavy fire.

The ministry said the troops were undertaking mopping up
operations in Vannerikulam town with the defence ministry
saying that the forces have now obtained a total domination of
the area after months of fighting.

"The sources said that the area would be declared fully
liberated once the mop up operations are completed," the
ministry said.

Meanwhile, troops operating on the Kilinochchi front are
consolidating their new positions acquired after heavy
fighting since Saturday, the officials said.

Troops of 57 division, breached the last L.T.T.E. defence
south of Kilinochchi on Saturday from the east and the west of
Akkarayankulam tank, the military said.

Both ground and radio monitoring sources reported heavy
damages to the L.T.T.E., it said.

"Troops during clearing operations found remains of 11
L.T.T.E. cadres along with 7 T-56 riffles," it said.

Apart from the clearing operations in the Akkarayankulam
area, 57 division troops operating on the eastern flank of the
Kilinochchi front attacked a group of tiger rebels in the area
north of Kokavil Sunday morning.

Troops confirmed heavy damages to the rebels without
suffering any casualties, the officials said.

Meanwhile, troops carried out their offensives in the
general areas of the Vannerikkulam, Chinnakkonailai,
Manniyakulam and Kunachakulam during the day and 12 soldiers
sustained injuries during the operations due to mine
explosions and L.T.T.E. mortar fire.

On the Vavuniya front, troops attacked group of L.T.T.E.
cadres located in the Nallikulam, Palamoddai and Puttur areas
during the daytime. PTI TVS
DEP
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