SLA offensive continues on Sampoor - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 August 2006, 11:22 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman Irasaiah Ilanthirayan Tuesday evening said Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was continuing it's offensive towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Sampoor in Trincomalee district. SLA has intensified artillery and mortar attacks as the two-pronged offensive movement of SLA troops was contained by the Tigers, he said. "If the Sri Lankan military aggression continued, it would set a full stop to the February 2002 Ceasefire Agreement," LTTE's military spokesman has commented.

18 LTTE fighters were killed in action so far in Trincomalee district during the last 36 hours and 28 wounded in Trincomalee district, according to LTTE military spokesman.

Earlier, LTTE sources claimed at least 50 Sri Lanka Army troopers were killed in action and 108 SLA troopers wounded.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army sources claimed more than 90 Tigers were killed and put their casualties at 13 killed and 71 wounded.

In Vavuniya, 7 LTTE cadres who were on routine partrol inside the LTTE controlled FDL, located between Iranai Illuppaikulam and Nochchikulam, have gone missing, Mr. Ilanthirayan said.

However, the Sri Lanka Police in Vavuniya has claimed that 16 LTTE cadres were killed in Vavuniya, stating that the bodies were recovered at Poovarasankulam.

SLA sources said they were making arrangments to hand over the bodies to the Tigers through the ICRC.

Meanwhile, hospital sources in Vavuniya confirmed that 16 bodies, in civil clothes, were handed over for post-mortem at Vavuniya hospital by the Police.