Four SLA soldiers killed in ambush

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2001, 12:00 GMT]
Four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, one military trained policeman and a

The Tigers opened fire at the combined road-clearing patrol that had walked into the ambush, the sources said. SLA sources in Trincomalee said that reinforcements were rushed to the area following the ambush.

The LTTE's ambush party had, however, left the area by then, they added.

The SLA, the Sri Lanka Air Force and the Police provide security to scores of state sponsored Sinhala settlements along the road from Trincomalee to Vavuniya and Anuradhapura. The Sri Lankan security forces here, as in other parts of the north and east where there are state sponsored Sinhala colonies, are assisted by military trained home guards drawn from among the settlers.

Weapons are also provided to the colonists.

The SL security forces and home guard units patrol the road during the day. In the night they withdraw to their camps and secured settlements.

The road is opened to the traffic after 9 a.m. in the morning everyday after SLA and SLAF units assisted by the military trained Police and home guards 'clear' the road.