SLA thrust ahead of anniversary?

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Large number of troops have been sent to the forward areas of Operation Jayasikurui, north of Kanakarayankulam, to defend the areas captured by the army, as troops stationed in Olumadu, 4 km. east of Mankulam, are preparing to advance towards north, said SLA sources in Vavuniya.

Sources confirmed that several lorries carrying troops and military hardware and other supplies were sent yesterday to the forward areas.

Kanakarayankulam area was captured by the SLA in February this year.

The SLA had made five attempts to advance towards the strategic Mankulam junction from Olumadu.

However, stiff resistance from the Liberation Tigers had prevented the SLA from capturing Mankulam.

Operation Jeyasikurui was launched on May 13 last year.

Meanwhile Sri Lankan police sources in Vavuniya said that a youth who had paid a large sum of money to obtain a police travel pass to travel to Colombo was arrested at the SLA check post at Uyilankulam junction on the Mannar-Vavuniya road.