Nagarkovil FDLs destroyed -LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 October 2000, 15:24 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Thursday that they had overrun Sri Lanka Army forward defence lines protecting the key base at Nakarkovil in the heavy fighting which broke out this morning. They also said they shot down a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter gunship and damaged another.

Following is the full text of the press release:

"The combat formations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) over-ran several front defence lines of the heavily fortified Nagarkovil military base in the eastern coast of the Jaffna Peninsula today inflicting heavy casualties on the Sri Lanka government troops. A Russian made MI 24 helicopter gunship was destroyed and another MI 24 helicopter was badly damaged in the heavy fighting.

"Supported by heavy artillery and mortar fire the LTTE's armed units launched a massive offensive assault as a continuation of the Operation Unceasing Waves 4 on the Nagarkovil military base situated along the eastern coastal belt about 20 kilometres from Elephant Pass. Fierce fighting erupted in the early hours of the morning and continued all day.

"According to reports from the battlefield more than one hundred troops have been killed and over three hundred injured in the fighting.

"Five Sri Lankan military personnel, including the Gunners and pilots were killed when an MI 24 helicopters was brought down by anti-aircraft missile.

LTTE's field commanders say that intense fighting continues tonight."