SLA changes convoy route following ambush in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 August 2007, 10:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA), changed Tuesday the northern coastal route the convoys travel from Point Pedro to Palaali SLA High Security Zone (HSZ), and instead started using Jaffna-Point Pedro road via Nelliyadi, following the Claymore ambush Monday which woudned five troopers and a worker, sources in Vadamaraadchy said.

The new route from Nelliyadi in Point Pedro used Tuesday led through the coast of Valveddiththu'rai to the recently rebuilt Tho'ndaimaanaa'ru in Vallai and from there to Palaali SLA military base.

The unannounced changed caused inconvenience to the public who had to wait for a long time on the edges of the new route to allow convoys to pass.

People were not allowed to use the main roads or to do shopping in these areas for a long time.

The Tho'ndaimaanaa'ru bridge was destroyed before the SLA Operation Liberation offensive in 1987, and the SLA recently rebuilt this bridge to provide quick logistic support to their FDL positions in Vadamaraadchy east.

A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vehicle was caught in fire Monday noon following a Claymore ambush on a military convoy heading towards Palaali, the Jaffna military headquarters, from the camp of the SLA 52-4 division in Point Pedro. Six SLA personnel, five troopers and a worker, were wounded according to the official casualty figures by the SLA officials in Jaffna. Large flames were seen at the site of the attack, according to the residents in the area which was closed down for traffic for more than four hours .