7TH LEAD

Tigers thwart offensive in Jaffna, 23 SLA killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 02:38 GMT]
Liberation Tigers have repulsed a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) ground operation towards the Northern Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions between Ki'laali and Mukamaalai in the early hours of Wednesday, Irasiah Ilanthirayan, the military spokesman of the Liberation Tigers told TamilNet. The ground operation, launched by the SLA with heavy artillery, Multi Barrel Rocket Fire and with the support of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter gunships at 5:20 a.m. was thwarted around 7:30 a.m., after intense fighting, he said claiming that more than 100 SLA troops were wounded and at least 16 killed in the attack. A military source in Jaffna confirmed that 23 soldiers were killed and 150 wounded.



A Main Battle Tank (MBT) of the SLA had sustained heavy damage together with a number of other tanks in the attack, the Tigers said.

14 of the wounded soldiers in Mukamaalai battle were flown to Jaffna from Palaali military hospital.

The Tigers said that the SLA casualties were airlifted in seven sorties by the SLAF helicopters. Jaffna - Chaavakachcheari Road was blocked for public traffic from 6:00 a.m. Wednesday.

One LTTE fighter was killed in action, according to the LTTE military spokesman.

Tigers said they have seized eight assault rifles, fifteen-thousand rounds, twenty-seven Bangalore Torpedoes, hundred-and-sixty-seven hand grenades, fourteen bullet proof jackets, four C-4 explosive containers, one GPS navigation system and several other military hardware.





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