No Retreat, No Surrender!

Image: A medical assistant carries a survivor of the bus attack in a hospital in Anuradhapura, Monday, Feb. 4, 2008. A roadside bomb blast tore through a civilian bus in the Welioya by the LTTE. The attack killed 12 people and injured 17 others.

by Defencewire

(February 05, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Sri Lanka Army has started training its newest Division, the 61 Div. Last year and this year, the Army managed to recruit over 35,000 youth. It raised several new Regiments, including 9 Armoured Corp, which is now undergoing Battalion Training at Maduru Oya Combat Training School (CTS).

A battalion training involves around 750-1000 officers and men in live firing, inclusive of heavy guns, close air support simulations etc to ready troops for actual combat. For many years during war, the Army was unable to retrain its frontline troops through such trainings. Even though a war is ongoing, the large numbers recruited into the Army has enabled Battalion Trainings even at the height of war.

Meanwhile civilian hardships in LTTE areas has increased to an unbearable level. Unknown to southern dwellers, the LTTE too is suffering from same sabotage issues in areas under its control. Daily road clearing operations using forced labour is a familiar sight. Many areas are demarcated 'High Security Zones'. But the most hardships are being experienced by new recruits to the LTTE. Due to Special Forces ambushes (LRRP) and air raids, many senior Tiger leaders hardly ever visit the frontline and have left one or two experienced cadres to control platoons of fresh recruits. Like lambs to slaughter, it is only a mater of time until these young recruits end their lives in trenches they themselves dug.

Meanwhile further confirmation regarding the Thachcnamarandamadu attack has come to light. Sources close to DefenceWire confirmed that only one Special Forces attack was launched in the vicinity on that day. This attack was on an LTTE 'Canter' Truck transporting cadres to the battlefield. The attack to which the Army is blamed for is mentioned in a letter sent to the UN by LTTE Police and Peace chief Nadesan. Senior officers expressed severe anger at the failure of government bureaucrats and propaganda machine to defend the Army against what they called 'blatant lies' by the LTTE, some NGOs and a section of the 'internationals'.