2ND LEAD

30 SLA killed, ground offensive thwarted in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 January 2008, 13:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam Operations Command in Mannaar has claimed to have thwarted a major push by the Sri Lanka Army launched in Parappaangka'ndal area on Monday. The SLA movement was thwarted after almost 8-hours of stiff resistance. At least 30 SLA soldiers were killed and more than 100 soldiers were wounded, the Tigers said. One SLA dead body was recovered by the Tigers who seized three AK-LMG guns, one RPG, two disposable Light Anti-tank Weapons and five T-56 type-2 assault rifles. Three LTTE fighters were killed in action.

Heavy fighting broke at 5:30 a.m. and lasted till 1:10 p.m. when SLA ground forces attempted to advance into LTTE territory with the fire support of Sri Lanka Air Force and heavy Multi-Barrel Rocket and artillery fire.

Bullet and artillery riddled bodies of SLA soldiers were seen across the field in decomposed state, the Mannaar command of the LTTE has told media in Vanni.

10 military kit-bags, explosives and rounds were also seized in the clearing mission after the fighting.