16 SLA troops killed, 38 injured in Mannaar- LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 January 2008, 21:22 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officer and 12 troopers of an SLA commando unit were killed, and 29 soldiers injured in a clash with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sunday in Paalaikuzhi area in Mannaar. Two LTTE fighters were killed in the clash, Mannaar LTTE operation command said. Meanwhile, in a separate confrontation Sunday morning at Mu'l'liku'lam in Manaar, 3 SLA troops were killed and 9 soldiers were injured, according to the LTTE.

The clash in Paalaikuzhi erupted when SLA troops tried to enter Tiger territory with the support of artillery, mortar and Mutli Barrel Rocket fire. Fierce fighting which began Sunday from 5:30 a.m and lasted until 6:00 p.m.

SLA troops tried again to advance around 7:00 p.m but were foiled in their attempts at breakthrough until midnight. SLA troops retreated back to their positions taking the wounded and dead.

Remains of badly disintegrated bodies lay scattered at the site of the battle, according to LTTE sources.

Meanwhile, LTTE fighters killed three SLA troops and injured nine in the clash at Mu'li'liku'lam in Manaar district Sunday around 8:00 a.m.

The SLA troops advancing into LTTE area with support fire were driven back to their positions by the LTTE forces in a fight which lasted for more than four hours.

SLA troops withdrew to their original positions carrying the dead and injured troops.