2ND LEAD

Tigers launch airstrike in Mannaar, Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 2008, 18:55 GMT]
Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) carried out an air attack on Tha'l'laadi military base, the main artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) launchpad of the Sri Lanka Army in Mannaar Tuesday around 10:30 p.m., dropping three bombs on the base. The Tiger aircrafts then proceeded to Colombo and dropped two bombs on Kelanitissa power station, while Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) bombers were searching for LTTE aircrafts in skys over Ki'linochchi between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. Latest reports from Vanni said the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aircrafts were flying over the suburbs of Mullaiththeevu and Puthukkudiyiruppu with para lights focused on the ground from 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

A SLAF reconnaissance aircraft was continuously circling over Vanni from 11:00 p.m. Tuesday. Immediately after the Tiger air raid on Tha'l'laadi garrison the SLAF fighters were circulating over the suburbs of Ki'linochchi, Ira'naimadu, Visuvamadu and Murasumoaddai areas between 11:00 and 11:30 p.m.

The SLAF aircrafts were using para lights in their search mission over Vanni.

Civilian sources said the Tiger aircrafts flew back to Vanni over Mannaar. Sri Lankan military officials said their air defence system was activated and that the damage was minimal.

Chronology: