LTTE, SLA clash in Ma'nalaa'ru

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 January 2008, 00:19 GMT]
An attempt by Sri Lanka Army(SLA) troopers Sunday morning 9:30 a.m. to move forward through three fronts with heavy artillery gunfire in Ma'nalaa'ru area towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) bases was successfully defeated due to strong counter attack by LTTE cadres, Liberation Tigers Operations Command in Ma'nalaar'u said.

The clashes in Ma'nalaa'ru lasted up to 2:45 p.m., and the SLA withdrew from the battlefront to their bases with heavy losses, Liberation Tigers Operations Command in Ma'nalaa'ru said.

LTTE fighters continued their attack on the retreating SLA troops and many of the troops fleeing from the scene got trapped in pressure mines and lost their legs. Three severed legs of the troops were found scattered in the area, Liberation Tigers Operations Command in Ma'nalaa'ru said.

LTTE fighters did not suffer any causality during the counter attack, Liberation Tigers Operations Command in Ma'nalaa'ru said.

The Sri Lankan government settled Sinhala civilians in the abandoned Tamil villages of Ma'nalaa'ru region, renaming it in Sinhala as Weli Oya, a translation of Ma'nal Aa'ru (sand river).