News

Military and commercial flights between Colombo and Jaffna were suspended yesterday after Tiger guerrillas mounted artillery attacks on the Security Forces Headquarters including the Air Force base and the runway on Friday night.

Security authorities were yesterday carrying out a threat assessment. The suspension will be in force until counter measures are formulated. The only exception was Air Force helicopters which were ferrying commandos to battle areas yesterday.

Security sources said the guerrillas directed 130 mm mortar fire at Palaly from positions near the Pooneryn area. Simultaneously they also fired artillery at security forces positions at Muhamalai and the adjoining Kilali area.

At Muhamalai they had taken control of six bunkers and a further 16 near the Kilali area after a ground assault that came on Friday night. Troops backed by commandos retaliated yesterday and regained control of the bunkers. However, last night guerrillas gained some ground near Muhamalai and Kilali and heavy fighting erupted. Some were damaged and the troops were rebuilding them. In Friday night’s fighting, six soldiers were killed and twenty injured. In the battles to retake the area, at least 35 security forces personnel, including three officers, were killed.

Fresh battles broke out in the seas off Mandaitivu, Point Pedro and in the Kayts island. There were also reports of some groups moving in the Kilali lagoon where troops on Friday night destroyed at least four of their boats.

Whist escalating attacks in the North on Friday night, Tiger guerrillas also launched artillery attacks on the Eastern Naval Area Headquarters in Trincomalee.

It continued till early yesterday. One sailor was killed and another wounded. Besides the Naval establishment, artillery fire was also directed at the Air Force base in China Bay and the nearby Prima flour milling complex.

Whilst an officer and an airman were injured at the Air Force base, at Prima, a driver who was waiting with his lorry to load flour was killed. Seven other lorries were badly damaged.

The A-9 Colombo Kandy highway was closed yesterday and the Jaffna peninsula was under a curfew from Friday night.