Lankan soldiers violate CFA by attempting to intrude into FDLs - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 14:01 GMT]
The Political Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has said in a statement on Thursday that the attempt by the Sri Lankan military soldiers near Kilali lagoon in the Jaffna peninsula to intrude with fire-arms well into the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) of the LTTE was a clear violation of the Ceasefire Agreement and the attack on them was only a defensive action. According to the LTTE statement, LTTE took defensive action against the Sri Lankan military personnel when they were seen moving with weapons and telescopes towards the LTTE FDLs.

"They were seen 40 meters away from the Kilali FDLs of the LTTE manned by the female LTTE cadres.

"The army soldiers were just 40 meters away from our front line and were aiming at our cadres when LTTE took the defensive action. One soldier was killed and another one was wounded as a result," the LTTE statement said.

"This area has 550 meters of no-mans-land. Therefore, the spying activities of the security force just 40 meters from our FDLs and their attempt from this position to attack our cadres are clear violations of the Ceasefire Agreement. Our cadres were forced to open fire at them to defend themselves," it said.

"The SLMM was informed of the incident and they visited the scene at 6.00 pm. Subsequently, LTTE handed over the body of the dead soldier to the Sri Lankan military in the presence of the SLMM official at the Muhamalai no-mans-land," it said.

"It could well be noted here that 15.02.2003, it was exactly at the same location that the Sri Lankan soldiers entered the forested area under our control and opened fire on our female cadres, wounding many of them. We, therefore, request the SLMM to take necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future as they are clear violation of the Ceasefire Agreement," the statement said.