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Heavy casualties at Muhamalai

Tough resistance by security forces has thwarted a week-long attempt by Tiger guerrillas to infiltrate the Jaffna peninsula. Heavy fighting on Friday left a high toll of casualties on both sides.

The heavy fighting came on Friday when troops moved ahead to fall back to their original defence lines after the ceasefire at the Muhamalai entry-exit point and the defence lines westwards of Kilali and eastwards of Nagerkovil. Army Headquarters moved in promptly to airlift the casualties to Government-run hospitals in the Colombo district where security arrangements were stepped up.

Despite pitched battles, security forces prevented Tiger guerrillas from breaking through defences located south of the Jaffna peninsula.

Despite losses and injuries to their cadres, Tiger guerrillas continued attacks on Friday night and yesterday. They were made in the belief that security forces losses and casualties would make it easy for them to infiltrate. However, the attacks were repulsed.

Whilst continuing their week-long attacks in the general area of Muhamalai, Tiger guerrillas also directed almost daily artillery fire at the Air Force base and the runway in Palaly. This continued to disrupt both military and commercial flights to Palaly.

On Wednesdy, however, an Air Force transport plane touched down and took off after unloading cargo. This was whilst helicopter gunships gave cover and a reconnaissance plane looked out for possible guerrilla gunfire.

These developments came as Jaffna remained under a curfew. It was relaxed for limited hours allowing civilians to obtain food supplies. The Government has chartered an Indian cargo vessel to move food stocks to the peninsula. In addition arrangements are now being made to charter another vessel and obtain the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to evacuate foreign nationals and the sick from the Jaffna peninsula.

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