Three SLA troopers injured in Jaffna attacks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 July 2006, 13:17 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops were injured when unknown gunmen attacked soldiers on street patrol near Methaikadai Junction 400 meters south of Point Pedro town along Jaffna-Point Pedro road at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, sources from Vadamaradchy said. Another SLA soldier was injured in a firefight lasting five minutes between unknown gunmen and SLA troops in Kachchai in Thenmaradchy Saturday afternoon, sources said.

SLA has not officially confirmed the two incidents.

The firefight in Point Pedro lasted for more than five minutes, sources said. Following the incident the troops blocked the Jaffna-Point Pedro road for several hours, local residents said.

Meanwhile, a decomposed body washed ashore near Allaipiddy Kovilady beach in Jaffna Islet Saturday. The identity and the sex of the deceased were not established due to the decayed state of the body. Civil society sources said that the body may belong to one of the refugees who may have drowned in choppy seas while taking the dangerous boat ride to South India from Mannar.

Kayts magistrate Ms Srinithi Nanthisekaran visited the scene and directed Kayts Police to transfer the body to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations.