Tigers and SLA clash in Jaffna mangroves

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 July 1999, 17:34 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers clashed today in the mangroves of Amban and Varani in southeastern Jaffna. Fighting erupted between SLA troops on a major search operation in the region and the Liberation Tigers around 11 a.m. this morning.

SLA units from the detachments of Nagar Kovil, Vallipuram, Maamunai and Varani launched an operation in the early hours of the morning today into the hinterland of Jaffna's southeatern coast pockets of which are not under its control.

SLA sources in Jaffna said that two Liberation Tigers were killed during the fighting in the mangroves this afternoon.

According to unconfirmed reports, the army too had sustained casualties in the confrontations. Sources in Vadamaradchi east said that fighting was heavy in some parts of the mangroves this afternoon.

The SLA had fired heavy mortars on suspected LTTE positions in the area. The road from Varani to Vadamaradchi east was closed to all civilian traffic by troops following the clashes said residents.