News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 1999, 10:05 GMT]
General Ratwatte sees newly captured land; Refugees sent back to Jaffna; Tightened security in Trincomalee.

Gen.Ratwatte sees newly captured land

Sri Lanka's Deputy Defence Minister, General Anurudha Ratwatte, visited the south west region of the Vanni and Periyamadhu area yesterday.

The Sri Lanka Army said 82 sq.km area of Periyamadhu has been brought under its control during 'Operation Ranagossa III' that was launched last week.

Army sources said that 3 SLA troops, including an officer were killed in the general area of Periyamadhu yesterday. They also said that 10 LTTE members were killed yesterday.

Meanwhile The Liberation Tigers handed over the bodies of the five SLA soldiers to the ICRC at Mallavi yesterday. SLA sources said arrangements are underway to hand over the recovered bodies of the LTTE in the latest confrontations.

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Refugees sent back to Jaffna

Military sources said that arrangements have been made under the direct orders of Major General Lionel Balagalla, Army Chief of Staff and Commander for the Vanni region, to transport back to Jaffna about 3000 displaced people currently living in the Vanni.

They will be sent to Jaffna through the eastern port of Trincomalee on Wednesday.

Sources also said that families belonging to Paalampiddy, Thampanai and Periyathampanai have already been sent to their respective villages.

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Tightened security in Trincomalee

Security has been tightened in the eastern port town of Trincomalee following a report from the SLA intelligence that the Liberation Tigers have infiltrated the town.

Sources said an additional 200 SLA soldiers from the Paalampotta Aaru camp have been brought to the town.

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