Six Tiger cadres killed

Signs of the LTTE’s continuing presence in the east emerged yesterday when six LTTE cadres, including an area leader identified as Ravindran, were killed in a clearing operation carried out by the STF in the Kanchikudichchiaru-Neriya Kanatte area in the Ampara district.

STF area leader Senior Superintendent Ajith Wickremasekera said the elite forces had killed the Tiger cadres while conducting the final stage of "Operation Niyathai Jaya". They recovered weapons and ammunition, including, five T56 assault rifles, 480 rounds of T 56 ammunition, eight hand grenades, four anti- personnel mines, one container of C4 explosives, ten metres wire and one 40mm round.

The SSP said the STF did not suffer causalities and more search operations were in progress. Meanwhile, two soldiers were injured in a claymore mine blast on the Vavuniya/Mannar road yesterday morning.