Tigers attack Paranthan, shoot down helicopter

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 December 1999, 06:29 GMT]
Heavy fighting broke out between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan army from last night at Paranthan sources in the north said. A large number of soldiers may have been wounded and killed in the attack they said.

An SLA sources in Jaffna said that the southern defences of the Paranthan base have been overrun by the Tigers. However an army headquarters spokesperson in Colombo flatly denied that Paranthan is under serious threat.

A special broadcast of the Voice of Tigers this afternoon said that the Tigers have begun an offensive on the SLA base at Paranthan. Sources in Jaffna said that the SLA is rushing troops to the front.

Meanwhile the Liberation Tigers shot down a Sri Lankan air Force MI 24 helicopter this morning around 10 a.m. over the lagoon near the Elephant Pass Sri Lankan army base.

Two pilots and two gunners who were in the helicopter appear to have been killed said an SLA Headquarters source in Colombo.