Five LTTE casualties in STF ambush

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 April 1999, 10:05 GMT]
Sri Lankan security sources said that the Special Task Force (STF) Police Commandos killed four Liberation Tigers in an ambush in the general area of Murunkan, in the Mannar district last night.

The STF ambush group noticed the movement of a group of Liberation Tigers, about 500 metres from its sentry, around midnight and engaged with them killing five of them, the sources said.

Some arms and ammunitions, including six T-56 assault rifles, seven claymore mines, RPG shells and grenades, were also recovered, the sources added.

The police informed the District Judge, Mr. R. Ilanchelyan, who visited the area along with Mannar Superintendent of Police (SP), Mr. Lalith Legamge, and STF Officer in Charge (OIC), Mr. Senaratne.

Four bodies have been brought to the Mannar Hospital. The fifth body has not been brought to the hospital due to transport difficulties, sources said.

The Mannar Judge has ordered a post-mortem.

Security Officials said that LTTE activity in the area has been on the increase recently and that yesterday's attack was a significant break through.

Last Friday 3 policemen including a Police Inspector were killed by the LTTE in a clash at Uylankulam.

Meanwhile the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that 19 Tigers were killed in four separate incidents yesterday.

According to the MoD, 15 Tigers were killed in two separate incidents at Paranthan, north of Elephant Pass, yesterday, while three were killed in Jaffna. In Periyamadu, in the Vanni, one woman LTTE member was killed, the MoD said.

Sources in the north and east of the island said security has been tightened there as the 'Elam War-3' completes four years today.

They said that government troops have increased road checks and Sri Lankan Navy boats are on surveillance in the northeast sea.