SLA, LTTE exchange rocket fire in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 September 2006, 19:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army soldiers and Liberation Tigers exchanged rocket fire in the eastern Batticaloa in the early hours of Monday. Fighting broke out when Sri Lankan government troops attempted to move from ‘Karuthapaalam’ (Black Bridge) in Chenkalady, through Badulla road in to areas held by the Liberation Tigers, around 2:30 a.m., Monday.

SLA soldiers returned to their positions after they were attacked by LTTE fighters. Both sides exchanged rocket fire til 4:30 a.m., LTTE sources said.

Rockets fired by the SLA troops hit villages of Karadiyanaru , Ilupaiadychenai and Pankudaveli, forcing hundres of civilians to seek refuge in safer areas. They returned to their homes, later in the morning, the LTTE sources said.

SLA sources in Batticaloa, however, said their troops were retaliating to LTTE’s shelling on SLA position in Karuthapalam and Kommathurai.

Chenkalady is about 15 km. north of Batticaloa.