Heavy fighting as final battle draws nigh

Heavy fighting between the advancing government troops and the Tiger guerrillas continues in parts of Mullaitivu, as civilians flee towards the coastal areas of the district.

On Thursday, heavy fighting erupted between troops of the 593 brigade, carrying out operations in Puthukkudiyiruppu and the LTTE, from about 9.50 a.m. to 5 p.m. The LTTE attack was finally repulsed after troops used mortar and artillery rounds against guerrilla positions.

Troops of the 58 division had faced similar attacks from the LTTE on two separate occasions in Kuppilankulam. Troops of Task Force 2 also faced LTTE resistance in Kuruvilankulam and Adampankulam areas on Thursday.

Thursday's fighting spread to Puthukkudiyiruppu south and west, where troops from Task Force 4 were operating. The troops were successful in repulsing the attacks by hitting LTTE artillery positions that gave the advancing troops an upper hand. Both sides reportedly suffered heavy casualties.

The tragic scene at Udayarkattu

The escalation of fighting comes in the light of the LTTE losing several strongholds in Mullaitivu including Vishvamadu and Chalai. The loss of the Sea Tiger base Chalai, has paralyzed the Sea Tiger wing according to military sources.

Meanwhile the Navy has put in place four blockades along the northeastern coast of the country to prevent LTTE arms supplies and cadres escaping via sea routes. The Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) and the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) units maintain their blockades close to the coast while Fast Attack Flotilla 4 (FAF4) maintains the second barrier in the coastal waters. The third and the fourth barriers, that extend from territorial waters to blue waters, are maintained by Gunboats and Offshore Patrol Vessels. In the wake of the LTTE losing many of their strongholds in the final weeks of January, LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had reportedly met his commanders Theepan, Sornam, Bhanu, Jeyam, Soosai and Pottu Amman at a secret location and discussed measures that were to be taken to stem the momentum of advancing troops.

It is learnt that he had ordered the commanders to launch massive counter attacks on the advancing troops and take advantage of their knowledge of the terrain to breakthrough troop defence lines. He had reportedly ordered his commanders to deploy Black Tigers on suicide bombing operations in areas where troops were advancing.

In one such attack an explosives-laden truck was driven over an earthbund and headed towards soldiers manning positions, but a soldier who observed the truck as it reached the top of the bund destroyed the vehicle using a heavy weapon.

Previously, on January 28, two Black Tiger guerrillas who were involved in an LTTE operation in the vicinity of the Iranamadu tank just days after the LTTE blasted the Kalmadukulam tank in Mullaitivu, were apprehended by troops attached to the 571 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Harendra Ranasinghe.

The captured Black Tigers identified as Thivakaran and Thamil Alai made startling disclosures of attack plans. They had reportedly confessed on interrogation that the LTTE had planned to blow open the Iranamadu tank bund in Killinochchi to cause maximum damage to advancing troops.

The two guerrillas, who had been provided with claymore mines, diving kits, chargers and satellite phones had arrived through the jungles of Mullaitivu. According to the military, they had said they were briefed about the mission by Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony and Sea Tiger leader Soosai and were given orders to inform the LTTE base minutes before they breached the bund of the Iranamadu Tank.This was to prepare guerillas to carry out the second stage of the plan, which was the deployment of Sea Tiger boats in flood waters to attack troops who would try to escape.

It is believed that if the blast took place as scheduled it would have submerged a major part of Kilinochchi district up to Pooneryn. Last Tuesday, the 574 Brigade troops managed to gain control of Kuruvilankulam , the latest guerrilla stronghold to come under government control. Troops who faced heavy LTTE resistance for two consecutive days moved southwards from the A-35 road and captured the main Kuruvilankulam junction. During subsequent search operations, troops found a 40-foot container full of ammunition meant for multi purpose machine guns (MPMG) and T-56 rifles. On Wednesday troops attached to the 58 division managed to capture a camp located in Sinna Villu, northeast of Kuppilankulam. An armour-plated van and a camouflaged Pajero jeep which is believed to have been used by the top brass of the LTTE was found in this area.

According to military reports LTTE guerrillas have removed 12.7mm guns, 81 mm mortars and 30 mm cannon from their Sea Tiger attack craft and mounted them on tractors instead. Meanwhile last Monday a woman, who arrived with a group of displaced people, blew herself up at a receiving centre for the displaced at Sugandarapuram in Vishvamadu, killing 20 soldiers and 10 civilians and injuring 64 including 40 civilians. Earlier, on February 4, a 13 year old suicide bomber blew herself up in Chalai injuring one soldier. On Tuesday, the LTTE opened fire at a group of civilians killing 19 and injuring at least 69 when about 1,057 civilians were attempting to flee the fighting close to Udayarkattu.

The recent suicide bombings has sent out a clear signal to the government defence establishment that the LTTE will be throwing its suicide bombers to cause collateral damage to prevent the troops from reaching their ultimate destination of Puthukkudiyiruppu and surrounding areas.

Despite a large number of civilians being trapped in LTTE-controlled pockets, a massive influx of internally displaced persons is expected in the forthcoming days. The government and many international organizations have expressed concern over the plight of the civilians trapped in these areas as they believe the people are being held against their will by the LTTE.

On Thursday, Security Forces headquarters in Wanni announced a new 12 Km long Safe Zone along the western boundary of the Mullaitivu lagoon. The 12-km long strip, stretches from Vadduvakal north west to the eastern coastal boundary, and goes up to Palamattalan south on the western side.

The decision was taken following the outbreak of heavy fighting and an announcement made by the LTTE, calling on civilians to leave areas that were earlier demarcated as safe zones and move towards the coast. Thousands of people were moving towards the coastal areas during the past few days.
At present, the area under LTTE control is now down to about 140 square kilometres. At the time hostilities broke out between government troops and the LTTE in August 2006 in the Eastern theatre, the LTTE had about 15,000 square kilometres under its control.

As the stage is being set for the final battle, the forthcoming days will decide the fate of the LTTE that resorted to arms nearly two and a half decades ago.