Claymore attack, artillery fire in Mannar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 August 2006, 05:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched artillery fire from Thallady and Uyilankulam camps towards Parappankandal, 16 km southeast of Mannar town, after two SLA troopers were wounded in a Claymore attack around 6:45 a.m. Thursday. SLA troopers exchanged gunfire with the ambush-men and launched mortar and artillery fire. One civilian was wounded in artillery fire in Parappankandal. More than a 100 families from SLA controlled areas moved into the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled territories following indiscrimate artillery fire.
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"Hundreds of Tigers" in Muttur - residents

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 19:18 GMT]
Intense fighting is underway in Muttur in Trincomalee district as hundreds of heavily armed LTTE cadres who have taken control of the town centre laid siege to four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps on its periphery, residents said Wednesday evening. An effort by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) to land reinforcements on Muttur jetty was routed by LTTE fighters battling SLN troops at one end, reports said. Sri Lanka’s military insisted however that the Army was in control of the town and that the ‘desperate’ LTTE was retreating before its counter-attack.
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Norway urges ‘cessation of hostilities’ and return to prior positions

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 17:32 GMT]
Peace facilitator Norway Wednesday said that the intensive military operations by the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka had resulted in ‘deadlock’ and could easily escalate the armed conflict. The first statement issued by Oslo comes one week after Sri Lanka’s military began to advance into LTTE controlled areas and on the day the LTTE launched a major counter-offensive. It calls on both sides cease hostilities and withdraw to their prior positions. Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer is to make a pre-scheduled visit to Sri Lanka Thursday despite the outbreak of hostilities, International Development Erik Solheim said.


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Muttur hospital closed down due to artillery fire

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 11:59 GMT]
Muttur district government hospital has been closed down as its maternity ward was hit by artillery fire, Wednesday afternoon. Medical officers, nurses, attendants and health workers fled from the hospital seeking safety, sources in Muttur said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy stationed in Trincomalee base stepped up its artillery and mortar fire towards Muttur east villages, from 4 p.m, Wednesday. The Tigers also reported to have fired artillery shells towards the SLN base in Trincomalee.
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8-year-boy killed in mortar fire in Muttur church, 3 wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 10:36 GMT]
An 8-year-old boy was killed on the spot and 3 women were wounded in Muttur town when an artillery fell inside the premises of St. Anthony's Church where more than 600 Tamils have taken refuge since the fighting broke out between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) last night. The wounded women, unable to be taken to hospital, were being treated at the church as the fighting resumed after a brief lull, civilian sources said.
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LTTE says operations ‘to defend civilians’

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 06:53 GMT]
The LTTE said Wednesday that its recent military activities in Trincomalee, including the operation against Sri Lankan military camps in the early hours were intended to disrupt Sri Lanka’s indiscriminate onslaught against Tamil civilians. The LTTE’s military spokesman, I. Ilanthirayan, said that amid the indiscriminate bombing and shelling of civilian areas by the Sri Lankan armed forces as part of their offensive in the Mavil Aru region, there was an "urgent humanitarian need" that had compelled what he described as "defensive actions."
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Raising Tiger flag not illegal in US - Embassy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 03:00 GMT]
Staff at Sri Lanka state-run daily in Colombo, Daily News, were given a civic lesson when they confronted US Embassy's press officer, Evan Owen, on the legality of American Tamils hoisting the Tamileelam flag in a New York sports festival, and diaspora parents teaching their offsprings Tamil. The press officer responded that hoisting of the Tiger flag had not breached US law, and that "the right to assemble and freedom of speech is upheld," by their [US] constitution, the Daily news reported.
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Tigers overrun four SLA camps in Trincomalee, enter Muttur

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 02:35 GMT]
Fighting formations of the Liberation Tigers have overrun four key locations in Trincomalee district after fierce artillery shelling since 2:00 a.m. Wednesday. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps in Kaddaiparichchan, Palathoppu, Pachchanoor and Mahindapura have been overrun, civilian sources said. Heavily armed LTTE fighters were seen entering Muttur town. Military sources in Colombo remained tightlipped and declined to comment on the ground situation. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets continued to bomb LTTE controlled Sampoor area. Fierce fighting is also reported near Kallaru where attempt by SLA forces to capture the Mavil Aaru sluice gates was averted, according to initial reports.
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Heavy fighting in Muttur, 4 SLA soldiers killed in Mahindapura

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 01:29 GMT]
Four soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were killed when LTTE cadres retaliated the attack from the Mahindapura and Selvanagar SLA camps located in the Serunuwara division, south of Trincomalee district in the early hours of Wednesday, sources said. Heavy fighting is also reported in the vicinity of SLA camps located at Kaddaiparichchan and Thoppur in the Muttur and Serunuwara divisions in the Trincomalee district between the SLA troops and LTTE cadres, both sides using artillery shells and mortar bombs, sources said.


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Military offensive 'disrupted deal with LTTE’

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 August 2006, 21:42 GMT]
Sri Lankan military’s offensive in Trincomalee disrupted an agreement which had been reached with the Liberation Tigers to open the closed irrigation canal at Mavil Aaru, the Daily Mirror quoted the Chief Priest of a local Buddhist temple as saying. The ongoing confrontation which has claimed scores of lives could have been avoided, the venerable Saranakeerthi Serunuwera Thera also said. His comments comes days after the chief international truce monitor criticized the Sri Lankan government for launching airstrikes near where he was negotiating with local LTTE leaders to defuse the situation.
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SLAF bombing continues in Eachchilampathu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 August 2006, 17:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets continued to bomb villages in the LTTE controlled Eachchilampathu division in Muttur East on Tuesday. Sri Lankan Minister and Defence Ministry spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella at a press briefing said that SLAF bombing is being done to prepare ground situation for SLA troops to move forward to capture the Mavilaru area.
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Shells hit Trinco navy base, 14 killed, Dvora destroyed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 August 2006, 09:44 GMT]
Artillery shells began hitting the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Trincomalee Naval base as a ship transporting more than 800 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers approached the naval base around 2:25 p.m. Tuesday. More than 36 shells have hit the naval base. At least 6 naval personnel were killed when the shells hit navy college inside the Naval complex. Five sea-borne LTTE vessels destroyed a Dvora boat killing eight SLN troops, naval sources said. The Trincomalee naval headquarters has sustained heavy damage.
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SLA artillery fire damages civilian houses in Kaddaiparichchan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 August 2006, 07:34 GMT]
At least four civilian houses were damaged and hundreds of people fled for safety when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells from Kaddaiparichchan army camp towards villages in the Liberation Tigers held Muttur east around midnight Monday till the early morning of Tuesday. Kaddaiparichchan army camp is located on the border of the territory held by LTTE, sources said.
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Tamil exclusion from ADB project triggered dispute - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2006, 12:56 GMT]
The ‘water’ dispute cited by the government of Sri Lanka as justification for its military offensive this week began two weeks ago due to a refusal by Colombo to implement that part of an ADB-funded project which would supply drinking water to Tamils in LTTE-controlled areas and to go ahead with supply to Sinhala colonies in government-controlled areas, the LTTE said in a statement. The intention of the Sri Lankan airstrikes last week was to prevent international ceasefire monitors from meeting local Tamils protesting their exclusion from the ADB project, the LTTE Peace Secretariat said.
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Three pronged SLA offensive thwarted - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2006, 07:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) began moving ground troops through three fronts from two SLA bases towards Mavil Aaru sluice gate Monday morning, supported by Multi - Barrel Rocket Launchers, artillery fire and aerial bombardment from Kfir and MIG jets towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled area in Mavil Aaru. The SLA advance was thwarted by the Tigers, according to Ilanthirayan, the military spokesman of the Tigers. Three LTTE cadres were killed and two wounded, Mr. Ilanthirayan said. Meanwhile, informed defence sources in Colombo said 12 SLA troopers including two SLA officials were kiled and many wounded. The SLA initiated operation has threatened the Ceasefire Agreement.
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Exchange of mortar fire along Nagarkovil FDL, SLA soldier injured in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2006, 06:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy Monday morning around 5:30 launched heavy gunfire from gunboats off the northeastern coast in Vadamaradchi East and the Sri Lanka Army fired artillery shells towards Nagarkovil LTTE Forward Defence Line. An exchange of mortar fire between the SLA and the LTTE FDL forces was reported for 45 minutes following the artilery and SLN attack.
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Slain Tiger officials, rural force member buried with military honours

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2006, 05:06 GMT]
The funeral of seven members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and a civilian rural force member killed in Sri Lanka Air Force SLAF air strike on LTTE's Thenham Conference Centre on Saturday, were held Sunday evening. LTTE commanders Col. Banu and Col Jeyam were present at Thandiyadi Heroes Cemeteray where five were burried with military honours.
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Recognize Tamil rights, or risk CFA collapse- NZ MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 July 2006, 20:21 GMT]
Tamil NewZealanders marked the Remembrance of Black July with a series of events including blood donation drives, prayer offerings, and a Peace March that culminated in an event at the Auckland Normal Intermediate School, July 29, 2006, Kiwi sources said. Member of Parliament, Keith Locke, Secretary of the Refugee Council of New Zealand (RCNZ) Heval Hylan, Human Rights Activist from Global Peace and Justice, Mike Treen, and about 200 Tamils participated in the event which also featured a cultural show.
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SLA artillery attacks on Eachchilampattu villages continue

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 July 2006, 16:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Chief of Staff Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi, remains at Kallaru army camp in the Serunuwara police division directing the military operation to capture Mavilaru area amid announcement by SL Defence Ministry spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in Colombo Sunday that Sri Lankan troops are now about one km away from Mavilaru. Sources in Serunuwara said that there is a likelihood of troop movement from Kallaru to Mavilaru area early Monday morning.
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Sri Lanka masses troops, bombardment continues

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 July 2006, 16:50 GMT]
As thousands of Sri Lankan troops were moved to Kallaru junction ahead of a threatened offensive, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets Saturday flew three bombing sorties over the Mavilaru area in Eachchilampathu division south of Trincomalee district. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) continued shelling of the area as Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi, visited Kallaru area.
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