25 SLA killed in Mannaar clashes - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 15:26 GMT]
At least 25 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and more than 60 wounded when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) confronted the ground troops of the SLA on two fronts, at Paalaikkuzhi and at the bund of Kaddukkarai Ku'lam Thursday morning from 5:30 a.m. till 12:30 p.m., field officials of the Tigers told media in Vanni Thursday evening. Tigers said they lost seven cadres in the fighting in Mannaar. Arrangements were underway to hand over a dead body of a SLA trooper, recovered by the Tigers, after thwarting the SLA movement. The LTTE has seized four automatic rifles and ammunitions in the clearing mission, they said.

Four T-56 assault rifles, thirty-two magazines, four RPG shells, four propellers, PK-LMG rounds numbering 2595, four drum magazines, nine bullet-proof jackets, eight holsters, nine helmets and four box containers for PK-LMG rounds and two hand grenads were located in the clearing mission as the SLA troops were hurriedly withdrawn after sustaining heavy casualties, the LTTE officials told media.

The Tigers would hand over the dead body of a SLA soldier through the ICRC on Friday.

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