Heavy casualties in Vanni battle

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 November 1999, 15:58 GMT]
Over one thousand SLA soldiers were killed or wounded when the Liberation Tigers overran Nedunkerni and Oddussudan towns, the LTTE said in a statement from its London offices today. The LTTE said 40 of their fighters have been killed so far, and that its offensive was continuing.

The text of the statement follows:

"In a massive military thrust code named 'Unceasing Waves 3' the fighting formations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) overran another military complex at Nedunkerni today, after taking control of the strategic town of Oddusuddan yesterday.

"Nedunkerni town-situated in the Pulliyankulam - Mullaitivu highway-and its surrounding areas have been brought under the control of the LTTE after intense fighting which continued for several hours last night.

"Heavy fighting continued as the fighting units of the Tamil Tigers pursued the fleeing Sri Lankan troops into the thick jungles. The Sri Lankan army has suffered more than one thousand casualties-dead and injured - in the battles at Oddusuddan and Nedunkerni.

"Having captured Oddusuddan and Nedunkerni military bases the LTTE fighting units are now moving towards the eastern sector of Pulliyankulam mounting pressure on several defense posts of the Sri Lankan army in the region.

"As the fighting escalates to wider areas Sri Lankan troops are in total disarray and are fleeing - deserting their posts.

The LTTE fighters have secured a huge haul of arms and ammunition from several arsenals in the Nedunkerni and Oddusuddan sector.

"A large array of military vehicles, including armored personnel carriers, were captured by the LTTE fighters.

"So far 40 LTTE fighters have been killed in the fighting."