Lanka army push ahead in L.T.T.E. stronghold: army

T V Sriram
Colombo, Oct 26 (PTI) Sri Lanka troops fought pitched battle with the L.T.T.E. and captured an underground bunker suspected to have been a medical centre of the militants as it pushed ahead in the rebel-held territory to wrest control of Tamil Tiger stronghold of Kilinochchi, officials said Sunday.

Reports of fighting have increased in recent months
amid government's declaration to crush the L.T.T.E. by the end
of the year. Troops from the 57 division launched attacks
against the L.T.T.E. fighters in the area of Akkarayankulam in
Kilinochchi, causing heavy damages to the rebels Saturday,
the Sri Lankan military said.

Meanwhile, the 58 Division troops advanced ahead in
Kalmadu area in Kilinochchi and captured a L.T.T.E. "strong
point" on Saturday, the Media Centre for National Security
(M.C.N.S.) said.

Heavy damage was also reported to the rebels in
operations conducted by the army in the area of Punchikulam
and Angampamoddai in Kilinochchi Saturday, it said.

Meanwhile, troops attacked a L.T.T.E. underground
bunker in Andankulam and brought it under its control on
Saturday, the official said. Troops believe the bunker could
well have been a medical centre to cater to their injured as a
search recovered field dressings and a large quantity of
bottles of saline and accessories required for dispensing from
the spot, the M.C.N.S. said.

The L.T.T.E. Sunday accused the government troops of
shelling a hospital inside rebel-held territory. The pro-Tiger
website Tamil.net said artillery shells fell close to the
Kilinochchi hospital and destroyed part of the hospital.

"At least 170 patients, including 60 warded
inpatients with the staff of the Kilinochchi hospital narrowly
escaped Saturday evening an artillery attack launched by the
Sri Lanka army," Tamil.net said Sunday.

The escalation in fightings in Kilinochchi comes as
L.T.T.E. supremo Prabhakaran has conceded that security forces
had closed in on the rebel strongholds and had even entered
key areas. Prabhakaran, however, said capturing the Tigers
administrative capital Kilinochchi was still a distant dream
for the security forces.

"The Sri Lankan forces have entered parts of our
homeland and are stationed in close proximity to Kilinochchi
town. But, capturing Kilinochchi is just a day dream of (Sri
Lankan President Mahinda) Rajapaksa," the 53-year old
guerrilla leader said in an e-mail interview to Chennai based
Tamil Magazine Nakkeeran.

Meanwhile, army artillery and mortar fire targeted
L.T.T.E. rebel in the Andankulam area on Saturday, inflicting
heavy damages Saturday afternoon, the military said. Later the
security forces destroyed a Tamil Tiger bunker and inflicted
heavy damages in Andankulam area Saturday evening, it said.

Separately, suspected L.T.T.E. cadres attacked and
injured four people by lobbing a grenade at Kaaththaankudi
area in eastern Batticaloa Saturday, the Defence Ministry
said.

The wounded were rushed to Kaththankudi hospital,
according to police sources.

"This week marks the 18th anniversary of the forcible
eviction of the Muslims from Jaffna by the L.T.T.E. It was a
gross act of ethnic cleansing; about which most of the world
that makes much noise about human rights violations in Sri
Lanka maintains a conspicuous silence,” the Defence Ministry
said in a statement.

Fighting in the embattled region has flared after the
government in January pulled out of the 2002 cease-fire pact
with the rebels.

The L.T.T.E. has been fighting since 1983 for an
independent state for the minority ethnic Tamils, alleging
marginalization of the community for decades by governments
dominated by the Sinhalese. At least 70,000 people have been
killed in the civil war in the Island nation. PTI T.V.S.
RKM