SLA operation in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army from the Valaichenai paper mill camp and the near by Naavaladi SLA camp went on a special operation Saturday morning around 6 a.m. in to the island of Naasivanthivu, Raalodai and Vettuvan, about 30 km north of Batticaloa.

These areas are not under the SLA control and are frequently subject to indiscriminate shelling and firing.

TamilNet correspondent in Valaichenai said that no one was allowed in to or out of this area from the morning.

'Itiranerant Traders' whom these villages depend on for food and other daily requirements were turned back by the SLA.

It was not known whether any civilians were arrested.

Meanwhile a SLA soldier identified as Karunaratne, from the Santhivelli SLA camp, 20 km north of Batticaloa was seriously wounded in a mine explosion today around 3.30 p.m. He was on a patrol.