Heavy SLA casualties near Mankulam - Radio

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than fifty SLA troops were killed and a large quantity of weapons and several bodies of soldiers were captured this morning when the Liberation Tigers stalled the attempt by the forces of Operation Jayasikurui to advance from their positions east of Mankulam in the Karuppattamurippu-Olumadu area, according to a news flash in the Thamil Eelam Vaanoli, the commercial service of the Voice of Tigers.

The Thamil Eelam Vaanoli broadcasts daily on the VOT frequency in the evenings.

The SLA began a thrust to capture the strategic Mankulam junction from its positions to the east and west of the town yesterday.

Residents said that heavy artillery bombardment was heard north of Vavuniya from the early hours of the morning.