5TH LEAD (UPDATE)

Sea Tigers raid key SLN camp in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 June 2008, 22:18 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) naval wing, the Sea Tigers, launched a surprise attack on Sri Lanka Navy camp at Erukkalampiddi in Mannaar in the early hours of Wednesday, brought the installation under their control and have seized the arms and military equipments, including a radar, LTTE officials in Vanni told TamilNet. The operation was carried out by Marine Commandos, a special forces unit of the Sea Tigers. The Tigers have seized a 50-caliber machine gun, 81 mm mortars, Light Machine Guns, Rocket Launchers and several other military hardware from the camp, the Tigers said.





The Sea Tiger Marines of Lt. Col. Cheran unit launched the seaborne lightning strike at 2:08 a.m. Wednesday and brought the entire installation under their full control within 10 minutes, according to the LTTE officials. Commander Viduthalai led the Commandos while Commander Ilanko led the sea mission including counter-attacks on Sri Lanka Navy vessels dispatched from Thalaimannaar SLN Command.

One 50 caliber machine gun, one 50 caliber barrel, two 81 mm mortars, one PK-LMG, one Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers (RPG), one Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW), one 60 mm mortar, one AK-LMG, one T-56 assault rifle, one radar equipment, two-hundred-and-three 81 mm shells, sixty-five 60 mm mortar shells, four RPG propellers, six RPG shells, three kit-bags, 1,195 50 caliber rounds, 5,870 T-56 rounds and several other ammunitions and military accessories were seized by the Sea Tigers.

The Tiger commandos were in full control of the SLN installation for almost two hours and destroyed the camp at 3:45 a.m., before leaving the Mannaar island at 3:50 a.m., the Tigers said.

Five Tiger commandos were killed in action.

Sea Tiger commandos had verified that 9 Sri Lankan troopers were killed in action. One of the Sri Lankan troopers, seriously wounded, succumbed to his injuries later, according to Tigers. Many of the soldiers stationed at the camp belonged to Gajaba Regiment.

At the end, when the Sea Tiger commandos destroyed a power generator, which was supplying electricity to the camp.

Sea Tigers attributed the mission to the memory of Lt. Col. Kadaafi, a commander of the Sea Tigers Special Engineering Division, who was killed two months ago.

LTTE officials supplied photos taken during their mission to reporters who went to cover the display of the arms and ammunition that were seized during their mission.

Erukkalampiddi is located 7 km northwest of Mannaar city and 8 km southeast of Peasaalai, in the island of Mannaar.







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