SLA shelling hits convoy on A9, driver wounded

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 09:49 GMT]
A driver of a lorry convoy on its way to Oamanthai, expecting humanitarian supplies, was wounded when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells hit the A9 highway Thursday around 7:30 a.m., 1 km off Maangku'lam.
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Ambulance escapes Claymore blast on A9

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 08:18 GMT]
An ambulance returning fro Oamanthai exit point narrowly escaped from a Claymore explosion Wednesday evening in Kokkaavil on A9 road. Tamileelam Police officials in Vanni blamed that the SLA has deployed DPU infiltration teams with the instruction to disturb the movement of Internall Displaced People and the fundamental services such as humanitarian supplies and medical transport on A9, the only access route to Vanni.
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3 killed, DPU Claymore targets bus on A9

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 06:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) infiltrators Thursday morning triggered a Claymore mine targeting a passenger bus, which was on its way from Pu'liyangku'lam to Ki'linochchi on A9 Road, killing at least three civilians, including the driver of the bus on the spot, accordingo to initial reports from the Tamileelam Police. Meanwhile, medical sources reported that five civilians were rushed to hospitals after the blast.
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SLA blocks humanitarian supplies to Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 15:25 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Vavunkyaa turned away Wednesday fifteen lorries carrying humanitarian supplies to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ki'linochchi district. Officials attached to the Ki'linochchi GA office said the sudden blocking by the SLA of the much needed medicine and essential supplies, which were already delayed for weeks, would affect thousands as many more civlians were being made IDPs in the district.
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SLN imposed ban starves 550 fisher families in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 13:59 GMT]
Jaffna peninsula Federation of Fisheries Societies (FFS) extended an urgent appeal to local and international humanitarian organizations to issue relief food immediately to the 550 fisher families in Maathakal in Valikaamam which face death due to starvation caused by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) imposed fishing ban in the seas between its bases in Kangkeasanththu'rai and Kaarainakar, in a media release.
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Ex-SLA soldier imprisoned for molesting child

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 13:42 GMT]
Trincomalee HughCourt Judge Mr.M.Ilancheliyan Tuesday sentenced a former Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier to ten years rigorous imprisonment for committing grave sexual assault on a 5-year-old girl. The crime happened in February 2001. An SLA officer in the rank of Major who held the official inquiry into the incident gave evidence at the trial.
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SLAF attack in Vaddakkachchi targets civilians, 2 wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 07:20 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), which attacked Vaddakkaachchi, 3 km east of Ki'linochchi town Wednesday morning while claiming that it targeted a 'high profile hideout' of the Tigers, dropped bombs on a densely populated settlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) on Hudson Road, wounding two, a 14-year-old boy and a father of three. A 15-year-old girl fainted as her father sustained injuries.
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SLAF steps up air-strikes on civilian settlements in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 September 2008, 06:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked civilian settlements in Vanni killing three Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and wounding five on Tuesday. One air-strike targeted IDPs who were dismantling their huts to leave from Mu'rika'ndi 155 Mile Post area that has been targeted by SLA shelling since Monday, as foreign aid workers and NGO officials were leaving the region. Six houses have been destroyed by the SLAF bombers that bombed four locations, with more than 16 bombs. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells targeting Puthumu'rippu, Oottuppulam, Chaanthapuram and Ira'naimadu area from 7:40 p.m.
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22 SLA killed in Akkaraayan fighting, arms seized, say Tigers

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 19:51 GMT]
More than 22 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and at least 53 wounded Monday when the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) put up stiff resistance against the SLA offensive units that advanced in Akkaraayan area, southwest of Ki'linochchi district, the Tigers said. Releasing photographs taken from the battlefield where they recovered four SLA dead bodies and seized rocket launchers and machine guns, the LTTE officials told media in Vanni that the SLA was pushed back. Clearing mission was still going on, the Tigers said. Meanwhile, SLA officials in Colombo put their casualties as low as 3 killed in action and 9 wounded.
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Shoot at sight order on persons entering Moneragala jungles

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 17:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has launched a search operation in the jungles that come under the Divisional Secretariat divisions of Moneragala, Siyambalanduwa and Buttala in the Moneragala district in the Uva province for strangers alleged to be hiding following the killing of seven Sinhala villagers last week. SLA has warned that those who enter the jungles while the search operation is in progress will be shot at sight, Moneragala sources said.
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SLA restricts devotees performing ritual in Chelvachchannathi Temple

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 17:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna did not permit all the devotees who attended the water-cutting (Theertham)ceremony held Monday in Tho’ndaimaanaa’ru Chelvachchannathi temple located on the east of Tho’ndaimaanaa’ru lagoon to perform their annual water-cutting rituals of bathing in the lagoon. Only a few of the many thousands who wanted to perform this rite were allowed to bathe in the lagoon by the SLA soldiers who were deployed in large numbers around the temple precincts. Thousands of devotees from all parts of Jaffna peninsula attended the Thear festival (car) held Sunday and the water-cutting festival Monday.
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3 civilians including a woman seek refuge with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 14:04 GMT]
A young woman from Kaithadi North in Thenmaraadchi and two brothers from Navakkiri in Puththoor area in Valikaamam sought refuge with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Monday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, according to their complaints to HRC. The recent killing of a woman by unidentified armed men in Kaithadi North was the reason for the young woman to seek refuge while the brothers sought refuge following the recent shooting in Navakkiri area seriously injuring a mother and her daughter, according to statements to the HRC by the complainants.
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Heavy fighting in Akkaraayan, arms seized, 4 SLA bodies recovered - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 10:41 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni told media that their forces were engaged in a stiff fighting with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that launched a fresh attempt to advance in the south of Akkaraayan Monday while the SLA shelling reached the A9 highway. The Tigers said their fighters have located dead bodies of four SLA soldiers and seized weapons including six RPG launchers, nine LMGs and more than 20 assault rifles from the battlefield, causing heavy casualties to the SLA.
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2 SLA killed in Maha Oya, arms seized - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 10:24 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) ambushed a motorbike patrol of the SLA in Maha Oya area, situated between Batticaloa district and Badulla district Monday morning around 7:30 a.m., the Tigers said adding that they seized a AK-47 and a T-56-type-2 assault rifles from the SLA with ammunitions.
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India: While taking action against LTTE, steps should also be taken to protect civilians

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 09:30 GMT]
India's Defence Minister A K Antony was quoted by Press Trust of India (PTI) on Monday as saying: "While taking action against the LTTE, steps should also be taken to protect the civilian Tamils in Sri Lanka and ensure their safety and security." The statement by the Indian Defence Minister has come in the wake of reports that Indian military personnel were involved in providing military support to the Sri Lankan forces.
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SLA shells A9 at Mu'rika'ndi

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 08:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has launched heavy artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire targeting A9 and the surrounding villages at Mu'rika'ndi from 7:00 a.m. Monday, according to initial reports from the area. At least one civilian was wounded in the artillery barrage and two shops in Mu'rika'ndi junction were destroyed in the shelling. Civilians were fleeing from 55th Mile Post and Ira'naimadu junction where ICRC Ki'linochchi office is located. All traffic on A9 to Oamanthai exit point has been cut off due to the artillery barrage.
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History rejects military defeat of liberation movements- Gajendrakumar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 September 2008, 18:22 GMT]
Responding to a question on year-end dead line set by the Government of Sri Lanka to defeat the Liberation Tigers, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian from Jaffna said, "We have been told many times and by many governments of Sri Lanka that the war will be won and that the LTTE will be defeated...I am yet to come across an instance when a national liberation movement in any part of the world has been militarily defeated," in an interview published in Colombo weekly the Sunday Leader 14th edition.
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Wife identifies decapitated body recovered in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 September 2008, 21:34 GMT]
The identity of the male whose decapitated body with signs of severe torture was recovered Friday by Nelliyadi police, near a bridge 400m from Kapputhoo Sri Lanka Army (SLA) main camp along Kuyilangka’ndi Road, has been identified by the victim’s wife, sources in Point Pedro said. Kapputhoo is located between Thenmaraadchi and Vadamaraadchi.
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SLAF bombs Vaddakkachchi, child injured

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 September 2008, 16:53 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Air force (SLAF) Kfir bombers dropped eight bombs in Vaddakkachchi area of Ki’linochchi district Saturday morning 8:20 a.m. targeting civilian settlements wounding a 7-year old child, sources in Vaddakkachchi said.
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Court orders Police to strengthen Anuradhapura security

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 September 2008, 14:56 GMT]
Anuradhapura Magistrate, Mr.Ruchira Weliwatte, Friday directed the North Central Province Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), Mr.K.P.P.Pathirana, to strengthen the security of Anuradhapura town and its suburbs as the court had received reports that unidentified armed groups have been moving in nights in vehicles without number plates, legal sources said.
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