Six Civilians killed and over 10 Wounded by LTTE

(May 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lankan troops thwarted a pre-dawn sea attack by LTTE sinking three Sea Tiger boats and killing at least 15 Tigers today while the Air Force fighter jets and Mi-24 helicopter gun-ships attacked LTTE targets in the North, the military said.(Image: Over 100000 Tamil civilians defying tiger orders enjoyed themselves in the carnival held at Doreiappah grounds, Jaffna yesterday(May 28).

A combined Army-Navy operation at the Chiraththivu islet in Jaffna thwarted an attempt by the LTTE to infiltrate the military detachment located between the Jaffna mainland and the Mandathivu Island from the sea today killing at least 15 Tigers.(Mare Details will follow on this incident)

Defense reports said LTTE launched a second attack in six boats towards the islet from non-liberated Ponneryn area. Troops have repulsed the offensive sinking 3 LTTE boats and heavily damaging another which sank in the shallow waters at around 2 a.m. A military official said recovery efforts are underway to retrieve the partially sunk LTTE boat.

Air Force fighter jets and Mi-24 helicopter gun-ships raided pre-identified key LTTE locations in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar districts today, Air Force officials said.

Air Force Spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said a Tiger training facility identified as 'Vellamalai base’ in Mullaitivu jungles was targeted in an air raid this morning.

A separate air attack by fighter jets targeted a well fortified LTTE forward operational base (FOB) in Kilinochchi district while Mi-24 helicopter gun-ships carried out sorties to support the advancing Army infantry and armour battalions in Pulliyankulama, Mannar.

Meanwhile indiscriminate LTTE artillery attacks launched towards the Jaffna town area killed six civilians and injured six others, the Media Center for National Security (MCNS) said.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the cowardly attack targeting innocent civilians comes within hours after Army and Navy troops successfully repulsed a pre-dawn LTTE infiltration bid at the Chiraththivu islet located along the Jaffna- Mandathivu causeway.

“20 rounds of heavy artillery shells have fallen into the densely populated Kolombuthurai, and Gurunagar areas causing sheer tension among the civilians who are majority Tamil. The injured were rushed to the Jaffna teaching hospital and many children are also said to be among the wounded,” the MoD said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Naval troops ambushed and captured two LTTE boats smuggling fuel worth of Rs. 400,000/= off Ussimukanthurai in Mannar today morning (29 May 2008) around 3.30 a.m.

The captured LTTE boats were engaged on a run of smuggling fuel for the terror outfit. The LTTE cadres manning the boats have fallen overboard and are presumed dead.
- Sri Lanka Guardian