Tigers capture Vadamaradchi East villages

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 December 1999, 11:24 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have taken control of the villages of Aliavalai and Kodukkilai in the Vadamaradchi East Sector of the Jaffna peninsula after overrunning Sri Lanka Army (SLA) positions there and advancing further north towards Vadamaradchi, said sources.

The sources said the Tigers have mounted an attack on the SLA camp at Uduththurai. Further details were not available.

Vadamaradchi East sector is a narrow strip of land that links the peninsula to the mainland.

The Tigers are reported to have taken control of about 25 km of the peninsula's eastern coast since they launched their latest assault on Saturday.

Residents of Uduththurai and Maruthankerny area have moved to St.Peters Church at Thaalayadi sources said.

Residents of Chempiyanpattu, Naakar Kovil, Maamunai in the northern part of the Vadamaradch East are also preparing to move to safer areas, aid workers said

SLA troops have been preventing the civilians from leaving the area, sources added.

Meanwhile residents in Palai said on Saturday hundreds of SLA soldiers killed and wounded in fighting in the Vettrilaikerni-Kaddaikaadu area were brought to the town.

They said the soldiers commandeered vehicles owned by villagers to transport the dead and wounded.