Four STF commandos killed in Omanthai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 October 1998, 06:00 GMT]
Four commandos of the elite Special Task Force (STF) were killed and six wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked the vehicle in which they were travelling last evening around 5.30 p.m. at Omanthai, north of Vavuniya said Police sources in the northern town.

Three STF personnel died on the spot while the fourth died later at the Vavuniya hospital. Initial reports, however, said 9 STF personnel were wounded in the attack.

Police sources said the Tigers attacked the vehicle with fire-arms following the mine attack.

This is the second attack on the STF in Vavuniya within a week.

Last Saturday a fleet of army vehicles were attacked by 3 claymore mines.

One soldier and a civilian by passer were killed and two soldiers were wounded in the attack, said police sources.

Omanthai was captured by the Sri Lankan army in June 1997.

It is now defended by the Special Task Force commandos as the regular army units that were holding it initially were pulled out to beef up the forward areas of Operation Jayasikurui.