Joint cordon, search Operation in Batticaloa suburbs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 June 2006, 21:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police, Special Task Force (STF) and the SriLankan Air Force (SLAF) cordoned off and searched Puthur, Thimilaithivu and Sethukkuda, suburbs of Batticaloa along the Batticaloa ­ Vavunathivu road, Wednesday morning 5.30 a.m until 8.30 p.m., Batticaloa residents said.

Batticaloa Police said they cordoned this area following information of the presence of gunmen in the area.

No one was arrested and no weapons were found during the house-to-house and prolonged questioning of the villagers, sources said.

LTTE sources from Batticaloa said that heavy mortar fire was directed towards the LTTE controlled area from the Vavunathivu Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Camp from morning until afternoon Tuesday. Public transport from the LTTE controlled area to the Batticaloa town through Vavunathivu came to a standstill most of Tuesday, Vavunathivu residents said.