Tigers hand over 4 STF bodies to ICRC in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 06:27 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Batticaloa District Deputy Political Head S. Seeralan handed over four bodies of Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) personnel killed Friday at Pullumalai, to the Batticaloa ICRC Saturday morning, Tiger officials in Batticaloa said. The LTTE has thwarted STF ground troop movement and seized 1 PK LMG, 1 RPG, 1 M16A2 assault rifle, 5 T56-2 guns and ammunition including 40mm mortar shells. A three pronged ground offensive with SLA/STF artillery barrage has forced more than 40 000 Tamils to flee their villages in LTTE controlled area.

6 STF bodies were recovered by the Tigers. Two of the bodies were decomposed and buried at the battlefront, the Tigers said.

The handover took place at 9:40 a.m. at Karadiyanaru LTTE Political Secretariat.

A female LTTE fighter was killed in the fight at Pullumalai.

Meanwhile, two more civilians were killed in SLA/STF artillery fire Friday at Arasady in LTTE territory Paduvankarai, according to the LTTE officials.

More than 100 000 civilians have become Internally Displaced in Batticaloa district following the recent Sri Lankan offensive.

Sri Lanka Army and the STF have been using Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers and artillery fire towards Paduvankarai area from the Batticaloa Brigade Commanders camp located near the Weber Stadium in the city, SLA/STF camp in Kallady and from Mayilampaveli camp as STF soldiers were engaged in ground offensives Thursday and Friday.