Heavy fighting breaks out in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 August 2006, 18:25 GMT]
Explosions were heard inside Palaly airbase Wednesday night and heavy fighting was reported at many points of Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions in Jaffna from 6:00 p.m. Flares to illuminate the night sky were seen above the Palaly military base area, and Tiger artillery shells began hitting the base Wednesday night after the explosions ceased, according to initial civilian reports.


Heavy explosions and rocket fire were heard inside the Palaly military base for more than two hours since 6:45 p.m., when a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aircraft, that managed to land earlier in Palaly, was flown out of the airbase.

Residents reported that the sound of a helicopter that took off from Palaly airbase, ceased after a loud explosion Wednesday midnight.

Artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) attacks from Palaly airbase ceased during and after the explosions inside the Sri Lankan military complex, according to residents in closeby villages to Palay.

Tiger artillery fire started hitting the Palaly military base from 12:30 a.m. Thursday.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting was reported at Muhamalai and Kilali FDL positions as MBRL fire from Sri Lanka Army positions in Jaffna targeted Iyakkachchi and Paranthan areas in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Vanni.