A9 MSR remains cut - radio

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 April 2000, 20:57 GMT]
The fighting units of the Liberation Tigers remained in control of a major section of the A-9 highway in the Thenmaradchi Division on the Jaffna peninsula despite determined efforts by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to recapture the road, the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said in its night transmission Wednesday. Four SLA tanks were destroyed and five damaged in heavy fighting during the past two days, the radio said.

Sri Lankan troops supported by several tanks, armoured vehicles, and air cover made their sixth attempt Monday morning to regain control of the LTTE-held segment of the Main Supply Route (MSR) to the Elephant Pass base, the radio said.

LTTE units fought back ferociously against SLA troops advancing on several fronts and inflicted heavy casualties, the radio said.

The VoT said a Sri Lanka Navy 'water jet' patrol craft was destroyed in a suicide attack off the coast of Katpitty around 6.20 a.m. Wednesday.

The radio also said that the Tigers had attacked a police camp in the Trincomalee district in the early hours of the morning Tuesday. One policeman was killed in the attack the radio added.

According to the radio the Tigers destroyed the buildings and vehicles of the camp at Homarangadewella, after emptying the camp's armoury.

According to the VoT, several weapons, including 20 assault rifles were removed from the camp, along with several hundred rounds of ammunition.