LTTE removes 132,328 APLMs, booby traps

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 January 2002, 16:19 GMT]
The de-mining division of the Liberation Tigers has removed 132,328 anti-personnel land mines (APLM) and booby traps left behind by the Sri Lanka army in the villages and towns of the Vanni region in northern Sri Lanka according to the Voice of Tigers news broadcast Tuesday.

The Sri Lanka army captured the southern sector of the Vanni region in the largest military operation ever undertaken by the Sri Lankan government against the Liberation Tigers and established scores of large garrisons and thousands of defence positions from 1997 to 1999.

The Liberation Tigers routed the SLA in November 1999. They have been de-mining hundreds of villages and several main towns since then with a view to resettling civilians who fled the SLA operations.

The Tigers are also de-mining thousands of acres of farmland as part of the program to resettle the thousands who were displaced by the SLA offensive.

The 132328 APLMS and booby traps left behind by the SLA were removed from 20 April 2000 to 31 December 2001, the VOT said.

Among the mines and booby traps removed by the demining division of the Tigers were:

APLMs - 82000

152 mm artillery shells-1956

130 mm artillery shells- 2131

122 mm howitzer shells - 4618

81 mm mortar shells -11400

82 mm mortar shells - 3740

Grenades - 8388

Jumping mines - 360

Claymore mines - 929