SLA advance repulsed -VoT

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 August 1999, 16:19 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers had attacked and repulsed the Sri Lanka Army troops who had attempted to advance from the Elephant Pass base the Voice of Tigers (VoT) said in its night transmission today.

A large number of SLA troops had broke out of the Elephant Pass-Paranthan base in two directions towards Suttapuram in the Paranthan sector with tanks and armoured vehicles backed by artillery and mortar, around 5.30 a.m. the radio said.

The Liberation Tigers intercepted SLA troops and forced them to retreat leaving behind many dead bodies and military equipment the radio added.

The fighting, according to the VoT, had lasted till 10 a.m.

The SLA claimed last night that it killed four Tigers at Thadduvankotti in the Paranthan sector. However it did not say when the incident had occurred.

Meanwhile two soldiers were killed when the Liberation Tigers attacked SLA's Forward Defence Lines (FDL) at Oddusuddan around 3.10 a.m. this morning, the VoT said.

The Tigers recovered 750 medium rounds from the SLA, the VoT added.

The radio further said 3 members of the Liberation Tigers were killed in the attack and gave the names of two of them. They are: Thaayagi (Sunderam Thavarani of Jaffna) and Sutha (Thurairajah Thayakaran of Jaffna).

The SLA said that the Tigers had fired mortars on its positions at Oddusuddaan. SLA troops had retaliated with counter fire.

In a subsequent search, according to the SLA, its troops had recovered 5 T-56 rifles and the body of a LTTE member.