The LTTE's side of the Wanni battle(January 07, Mullaithivu, Sri Lanka Guardian) News has reached us from the LTTE, that an advanced team of SLA's Commando regiment, operating several miles ahead of their FDLs, tried to breach LTTE defence lines in Puthukkudyiruppu. The surprise operation was intended to wrest control of the LTTE's new administrative capital and main military garrison. Wanni sources indicate that this operation ended in utter and complete failure with the SLA suffering heavy casualties. Two SLA captains and a major were killed by direct LTTE fire. A large haul of weapons was also captured by the LTTE.
According to the source close to the Tamil Tigers, "among the recovered weapons were sophisticated hardware including night vision goggles, portable fire finders,Global Positioning Systems and RPGs used by SLA commandos. The jewel in the crown was an advanced communications equipment used to call in SLAF air strikes. The SLA has its in possession only a few of these comms hardware that can communicate directly with Kfir / Mig-27 jet pilots."
"The SLA spurred on by empty "victories" in Kilinochchi and Jaffna underestimated the strength of the LTTE in its Mullaitivu hinterland and tried to take on the Tigers in their own backyard. The doomed operation has resulted in loss of morale among SLA commandos."
Meanwhile, Mullaithivu Government Agent (GA), Imelda Sukumar, expressed concern about the shelling in the Mullaithivu town area and the closure of the route to Vavuniya.
The closure of the route to Vavuniya had prevented the transfer of serious patients from Vanni to the Vauniya hospital. For the last four days patients have been brought to the checkpoint in ambulances for transfer to Vavuniya and were turned back. Patients who are already seriously ill are psychologically affected by this repeated frustration.
The transport of essential items has also come to a standstill due to the route closure. The GA said the 80 trucks with essential food items that should have come into Vanni have not arrived. Ten of these trucks loaded with vegetables have been waiting for seven days. The massive displacement and the abandonment of cultivated plots have created severe shortage of vegetables in Vanni and thus the need to bring in vegetables to Vanni. The World Food Program convoy with relief items for the IDPs for the second week of the month must also arrive in Vanni before 8 January. The GA expressed fear whether these will arrive in time for distribution to the IDPs for whom this is the only source of food.
The GA also said that her officers who have gone to Colombo on duty are also stranded and as a result end of year reports remain uncompleted.
Worsening the situation is the constant shelling around the Mullaithivu District Secretariat. She said that her officers are unable carry out their work due to persistent shelling.- Sri Lanka Guardian
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