Lankan troops advance further into rebel territory

T V Sriram

Colombo, Oct 27 (PTI) Sri Lankan troops pushed further
into Tamil Tiger territory in the island's north, launching
serial raids on a key town in the rebel stronghold of
Kilinochchi amid fierce challenges, the military said Monday.

Troops of the Army's 57 division moved into the western
parts of Akkarayankulam after capturing the eastern areas, it
said. The offensive Sunday came after the army captured an
underground bunker in the area, suspected to have been a
medical centre to treat the rebels injured in warfront.

"Infantrymen of 571 brigade attacked and captured a
L.T.T.E. bunker located in the west of Akkarayankulam area
around last morning," the Defence Ministry said adding, the
rebel casualties in this incident were not known.

Meanwhile, troops operating in the east of Akkarayankulam
area clashed with a group of L.T.T.E. men Sunday. Intercepted
L.T.T.E. transmissions confirmed heavy damages to the rebels,
the army said adding, during search operations troops found
the body of a Tamil rebel alongwith a T-56 rifle.

Also, snipers deployed in the forward area confirmed
acquiring two targets, the military said.

It said troops operating in the eastern flank of
Kilinochchi front attacked two L.T.T.E. bunkers in Kokavil
area Sunday afternoon. They also cashed with a group of Tiger
rebels in nearby Panikkankulam later in the day and claimed
heavy damages to the rebels.

Meanwhile, the Army task force operating on the western
half of the Kilinochchi battle front continued their offensive
on the rebel base of Nachchikuda and to the north of
Manniyakulam areas Sunday, the Ministry said.

Troops attacked L.T.T.E. bunkers located in the
Nachchikuda area with the support of artillery fire Sunday,
officials said adding, rebel casualties were not immediately
known.

The Army's 59 division troops operating in the
Mullaittiuvu battlefront attacked five L.T.T.E. bunkers in
day-long offensives carried out Sunday and captured an
L.T.T.E. bunker and three military trenches, the army said.

It claimed heavy damages to rebels in the clashes but the
figures were not given according to a new official policy.

Troops engaged in mine-sweeping operations in the area
removed 30 anti-personnel mines and defused four improvised
explosive devices, the Army said.

The L.T.T.E. has been fighting since 1983 to create a
separate homeland for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka. More than
70,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict so far.

Fighting between the rebels and advancing troops has
intensified in the island's L.T.T.E.-dominated north in the
recent weeks, sparking concerns in India and among the
international community about the impact of the conflict on
the civilian population. PTI T.V.S.