Lankan forces claim to have captured part of key LTTE town

T V Sriram

Colombo, Oct 21 (PTI) Battling torrential rains and rebel
resistance, Sri Lankan security forces today closed in further
on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (L.T.T.E.'s)
stronghold of Kilinochchi, claiming to have taken control of a
km-long stretch in the area.

Intense clashes elsewhere in the embattled Northern Sri
Lanka left three Tiger rebels dead, the Defence Ministry said.

"Troops of the 58 Division captured a stretch of about 1
km area from Vannarikulam South in Kilinochchi after heavy
fighting yesterday," the Ministry said.

Troops "thrashed" L.T.T.E. battle formations and pushed
ahead amidst heavy resistance and torrential monsoon rains
from areas North East of Nachchikuda at Vannarikulam and from
the edges at Akkarayankulam Tank in Kilinochchi, it said.

"These military advances were made while L.T.T.E. ground
chieftains were reported wavering over disposition of fighting
elements in Wanni and North," the defence ministry said.

Meanwhile, security forces recovered the bodies of three
soldiers reported missing since Saturday following heavy
fighting at Akkarayankulama, Kilinochchi, the ministry said.

It said intense fighting was reported between troops and
L.T.T.E. at Vannerrikkulama and Akkarayankulama Monday, as
troops made its first move after consolidating its newly
gained positions in the areas on Saturday.

It said two decomposed corpses of the Tiger rebels were
recovered by the troops of the 57 Division during a search
operation conducted in the Akkarayankulam area Monday morning.

Separately, troops recovered another body of an L.T.T.E.
cadre, a T-56 assault riffle and an I-com set during search
operations conducted in Pallavarayankaddu, at the Western
Kilinochchi battlefront, the military said.

In another incident, Sri Lankan army attacked and
destroyed two L.T.T.E. bunkers in Vannarikulam area Monday as
the rebels suffered heavy damages in the confrontation, the
ministry said.

Meanwhile, the security forces foiled an attack by the
Tiger rebels on a forward defence line in Mulaitivu Monday,
the military said.

"Sri Lanka Army Troops of the 59 Division foiled an
L.T.T.E. attempt to attack the F.D.L. in Andankulam area
inflicting heavy damages to the L.T.T.E. yesterday," it said.

Meanwhile, troops of the 59 Division recovered 310
anti-personnel mines in a search operation conducted at two
locations in Andankulam area Monday morning, the Media Centre
for National Security (M.C.N.S.) said.

The troops of the 59 Division also attacked and destroyed
three L.T.T.E. trenches and one mortar position in the area,
it claimed, adding, in Karaveddi area of Jaffna troops
inflicted heavy damages on the L.T.T.E.

Separately, troops manning an observation outpost in
general area Mandan at Nelliady, Jaffna, successfully thwarted
a pre-dawn L.T.T.E. infiltration attempt Tuesday, officials
said.

Meanwhile, in eastern Batticaloa, unidentified gunmen
shot dead three Sinhalese road construction workers in
Kockkadicholei area yesterday, while they were sleeping in a
house, the M.C.N.S. said.

Intense battles are being fought in the western and
eastern fronts of Kilinochchi and are expected to shift
towards Jayapuram and North of Manniyankulama, security forces
said.

The battle in the central Kilinochchi is expected to
surge as troops position within "striking distance of the
L.T.T.E. heartland", the defence ministry said.