5TH LEAD

150 SLA killed, Tigers locate 30 SLA bodies in Northern Front

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 11:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) officials in Ki'linochchi said the Tigers have located more than 30 dead bodies of the SLA soldiers in the clearing mission so far in the Northern Front after a major operation by the SLA was thwarted by them. 28 dead bodies were brought to Ki'linochchi. Meanwhile, a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) source, which didn't wish to be named, verified that 104 dead bodies were initially recovered by the army and more than 400 were wounded. The source further said at least 150 soldiers were killed in action. In the meantime, a Colombo bound passenger said he had seen 12 bus loads of dead and wounded soldiers being rushed to the runway in Palaali military complex.



Most of the wounded were airlifted to Colombo general hospital.

According to the official figures released by the SLA, 38 soldiers were killed and 84 injured. A latest update, after LTTE has announced the number of SLA bodies recovered by them, the Sri Lankan ministry of defence said 33 SLA soldiers were missing.

The SLA units were defeated at two of the three fronts, in Mukamaalai and Ki'laali, by 10:30 a.m. after stiff resistance. Heavy fighting raged in Ka'ndal (marshland) till the SLA units withdrew at 12:40 p.m.

LTTE military spokesman Irasiah Ilanthiraiyan said more than 100 SLA troops were killed and 400 SLA were wounded in the large-scale SLA attempt to overrun LTTE strongholds along a 7 km wide Ki'laali -Mukamalai - Ka'ndal front.

25 LTTE fighters were killed in action, Mr. Ilanthirayan said.

LTTE officials in Ki'linochchi provided details of 14 identification tags/details belonging to dead SLA soldiers, handed over to them by Tiger commanders in Northern Front.

• 184849
  PTE, Pushpakumara, ATVE
• S1470985
  B+ VE,
• 171189
  V E
• S1171175
  B+ V E
• S513506
  B+ V
• S171175
  B+ V
• S465138
  Date of Birth: 1980.06.25, Mobile: 0776934041, IC 801776641 V
• S184755
  PTE, O+ VE
• S515411
  O+ VE
• Vijayatunga M
• S174217
  O+ VE (Company A, Gemunu)
• S462960
  A+ VE (1st Gemnu)
• S463398
  O+ VE(1st Gemunu)
• S164811
  O- VE (Company A)

Chronology: