SLA offensive in Nagar Kovil, Eluthumadduval

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 April 2001, 04:21 GMT]
Heavy fighting erupted in Nagar Kovil and the Eluthumadduval area in Jaffna when Sri Lanka army troops attempted to push south along the coast around 11 p.m. Tuesday night, sources in the northern peninsula said. The SLA's thrust towards the coastal villages of Kudrappu and Maamunai and south of Eluthumadduval was met with heavy resistance from the Liberation Tigers, they added. Meanwhile, the army banned on all fishing in the Jaffna lagoon until further notice Tuesday evening.

The SLA offensive was preceded by heavy artillery and mortar shelling on the LTTE positions south of Nagar Kovil and Eluthumadduval, sources said.

Library photo

The bombardment began around 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to residents of Amban, the hamlet closest to Nagar Kovil SLA base.

SLA columns backed by artillery and armour broke out of the FDLs on the southern outskirts of the Nagar Kovil village and Eluthumadduval close to midnight, they said.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka army sources in Jaffna said Wednesday that the massive operation, which commenced this morning, was aimed at recapturing the Pallai and Elephant Pass areas. They said that the operation had been on the planning boards since January this year. The operation is code named Agni Khela, according to a press statement by the SLA.

The following is the full statement of the SLA:

"The Security Forces launched a fresh offensive this morning by 5:30 code named 'Operation AGNI KHELA I' in the JAFFNA Peninsula to clear terrorist positions and further expand the areas brought under Security Forces control in ELUTHUMADDUVAL during Operation KINIHIRA IX Stage II".