3RD LEAD (UPDATE)

43 SLA killed, 8 bodies recovered in Nalloor, Poonakari - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 November 2008, 12:57 GMT]
At least 43 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and more than 70 wounded in the latest fighting that broke out at Nalloor on Poonakari - Paranthan road, LTTE officials told TamilNet correspondent in Vanni Sunday evening. The fighting went on amid pouring rain and floods, between 4:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunday according to the Tigers. The stiff fighting by the Tigers pushed back the Sri Lankan troops in the Poonakari direction, the LTTE said. Meanwhile, heavy rain has led to floods in several places of Vanni causing hardships to thousands of internally displaced people who have been deprived of shelters by the continuous blockade by the Sri Lankan military.

The Tigers have recovered 8 bodies of SLA soldiers and seized weapons after the fighting.

The main battle front was between Uruththirapuram and Kugnchup-paranthan. A pitched battle was fought near the Siva temple at Uruththirapuram.

The Poonakari - Nalloor is located between Poonakari and Paranthan, at a place where the river Kudamu'ruddi enters the Jaffna Lagoon. The river is flooded heavily during rains.

More than 35 SLA soldiers were killed in a previous fighting in Mu'rika'ndi and A'riviyal Nakar area when Sri Lanka Army units attempted to advance further into the territory towards the southern suburb of Ki'linochchi on Friday and Saturday, according to LTTE sources.

Chronology: