Heavy fighting in the Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting was reported in separate locations in the Vanni today. Pitched battles are said to have taken place today in the Ampakamam, Moonru Murippu and Kilinochchi regions, when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) thrusts were repulsed by the Liberation Tigers (LTTE). The Tigers also said in the Vanni today that a major SLA assault in the Kilinochchi region yesterday was repulsed with heavy casualties.
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SLA operation in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fighting is reported between the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) in the Kilinochchi area, south of Elephant Pass. The fighting erupted when the SLA launched a fresh offensive to advance in the southern direction.
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Heavy casualties in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting has broken out in the Kilinochchi area between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army. Fighting went on for 10 hours and casualties are believed to be heavy on both sides, said sources in Vavuniya.
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State media calls for blood donors

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan state owned radio stations and television networks announced this evening that the central blood bank is in need of blood and will be opened from 8 a.m till 8 p.m tomorrow in order receive blood from donors.
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Eleven Tigers killed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An Army captain was killed and two soldiers wounded when the Liberation Tigers fired mortars on the Sri Lankan Army base at Elephant Pass base, north of Kilinochchi, last night at around 9.30 p.m., said SLA sources.
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SLA opens new front?

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fighting is reported between the Liberation Tigers and the troops of Operation Jeyasikurui in the Vanni forward areas this morning, said sources. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and the LTTE continued to exchange mortar fire, said sources in Vavuniya.
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Mankulam fighting continues - SLA

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting broke out between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army yesterday in the general area of Mankulam, when the troops engaged in Operation Jayasikurui made a fresh attempt to advance from their positions around 10.45 a.m. said LTTE sources in Europe.
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Police patrol ambushed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Policeman was wounded today when the Liberation Tigers attacked a Police patrol at 32nd mile post on the Mannar-Madawatchi road . Four Tigers were also wounded when the Police returned fire, said police sources.
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Ratwatte visits Jayasikurui areas

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Defence Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatta visited the forward areas of Operation Jayasikurui today along with the Army commander and other senior service commanders.
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Jaffna Mayor's killing claimed

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An organisation called 'Sangiliyan Force' claimed responsibility yesterday evening for the assassination of Jaffna Mayor, Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran, in a message sent to Uthayan, the only Tamil daily published in Jaffna.
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Country dance in celebration

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) celebrated its success in impeding the advance of Operation Jayasikurui, (Victory Assured) in the Vanni, by staging a country dance -'Tholvi Nitchchiyam' (Defeat Assured) - in areas under its control west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.
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A long year on the road

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Exactly one year ago, the Sri Lankan military began the largest military campaign in its history. Preceded by a massive artillery and aerial bombardment, over 20,000 Sri Lankan troops, led by elite Special Forces, broke out of their fortifications at Vavuniya and Manal Aru and pushed into the LTTE-controlled Vanni. The Sri Lankan government had much riding on the outcome of the operation, optimistically code-named 'Jaya Sikirui' ('Victory Assured' in Sinhala).
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LTTE plans celebrations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will celebrate the stalling of Operation Jayasikurui, on its first anniversary, on 12, 13 and 14 May at Kokkadichcholai and Iluppadichenai in the LTTE controlled areas west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Till the other side cracks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan military's widespread and indiscriminate use of artillery and air power is arguably the major cause of civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka. In the past few years, the Sri Lankan military has repeatedly up-gunned its forces with ever larger caliber field guns, with more numerous aircraft that are capable of carrying heavier payloads and more heavily armed naval craft.
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Poor response to latest amnesty

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) Commander, Maj. General R.Daluwatte said today that 5000 SLA deserters had accepted the general amnesty and had returned to their duties during the period the amnesty had been offered to SLA deserters. However, SLA sources in Colombo said the actual response was far less than the official figure.
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Jaffna detainees held elsewhere

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
According to lists of detainees submitted to the Human Rights Commissionand the Jaffna courts, people arrested in Jaffna are being taken to distantdetention centres, such as in the central province and Colombo.
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Military activity in Mankulam area

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Three SLA soldiers were wounded in Mannakulam, southwest of Mankulam, when the Liberation Tigers fired mortars on troops of Operation Jeyasikurui yesterday, said SLA sources in Vavuniya.
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SLA recruiting children - Opposition leader

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
"The security forces are campaigning in schools, to encourage 15 year old school children to join the army. When I comment on this, they call me a traitor. If it is so, is Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar also a traitor, who is campaigning in foreign countries saying that LTTE is recruiting children to their forces?", asked Opposition Leader Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe in the parliament yesterday.
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SLA short of troops - Commander

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Lieutenant General Rohan DeS Daluwatte, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), said at a press conference today, that there was a shortage of security forces personnel to open the road from Vavuniya to Kilinochchi. He said that it was due to this necessity that deserters were being recalled to service.
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Army ignores cease-fire - VoT

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Despite the declaration of cease-fire by the Liberation Tigers in order to support the visit of Mr. Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict, to the Vanni, the Sri Lankan forces have launched a heavy mortar barrage from their positions near Mankulam and Kilinochchi, said the Voice of Tigers (VoT) in its broadcast this morning.
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