SLA toll mounts, 'feint' said to have drawn troops into ambush

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 April 2008, 18:51 GMT]
Even before the Tamil Tigers handed back the bodies of 28 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers left behind by their retreating comrades following Wednesday’s pitched battle in the Jaffna peninsula, the bodies of 143 other soldiers had been brought to three funeral parlours in Colombo, a pro-opposition website reported. Meanwhile, CNN quoted 'highly placed' army sources as saying the SLA had been drawn into an ambush when it launched an offensive against LTTE positions Wednesday.
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Tigers hand over 28 SLA bodies to ICRC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 April 2008, 10:52 GMT]
LTTE's NGO and U.N. Liaison Officer M. Pavarasan Thursday afternoon at 12:45 p.m. handed over 28 dead bodies of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers located by the Tigers in the Northern Front on Wednesday to ICRC representative Franche Roy at Ki'linochchi Central Playground. Tigers said there were still body parts and decomposed bodies lying in the no-man zone and provided identification details of 6 SLA soldiers in addition to the details of 14 SLA soldiers identification details provided on Wednesday.
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20 SLA killed, weapons seized in Mannaar fighting - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 April 2008, 09:40 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan Thursday said that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) abandoned a fresh attempt to advance in Mannaar from Cheaththukku'lam east of Thirukkeatheeswaram towards Veaddaiyaamu'rippuk-u'lam after heavy resistance from the Tigers. The offensive push was launched by the SLA around 5:45 a.m. with the support of Main Battle Tanks and artillery fire. Upto 20 SLA soldiers were killed, more than 30 SLA wounded in the confrontation. One LTTE fighter was killed in action, according to Mr. Ilanthirayan.
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Tigers release details of arms, ammunition seized in Northern Front

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 18:15 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan on Wednesday evening told TamilNet that Tige forces under the leadership of Commander Theepan confronted the SLA units for ten-and-a-half hours, from 02:30 a.m. till 12:40 p.m. along a 7 km wide defence line in the large scale operation launched by the Sri Lanka Army. 30 SLA bodies were recovered by the Tigers. Arrangements were being made to hand over the mortal remains of the SLA soldiers killed in action to their parents. 60 guns including tank mounted PKT machine guns, Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers and forty-five assault rifles were seized by the Tigers.
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SLA announces new amnesty for deserted soldiers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 14:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has announced Wednesday another amnesty for soldiers deserted from the force. The amnesty period is to commence on May 2 till May 16, according to military spokesman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara.
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150 SLA killed, Tigers locate 30 SLA bodies in Northern Front

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 11:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) officials in Ki'linochchi said the Tigers have located more than 30 dead bodies of the SLA soldiers in the clearing mission so far in the Northern Front after a major operation by the SLA was thwarted by them. 28 dead bodies were brought to Ki'linochchi. Meanwhile, a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) source, which didn't wish to be named, verified that 104 dead bodies were initially recovered by the army and more than 400 were wounded. The source further said at least 150 soldiers were killed in action. In the meantime, a Colombo bound passenger said he had seen 12 bus loads of dead and wounded soldiers being rushed to the runway in Palaali military complex.
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LTTE thwarts offensive in Northern Front

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 07:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) units that attempted to break the Forward Defence Line of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Ki'laali, Mukamaalai and on several other positions were forced to retreat, leaving behind dead bodies of their troopers, according to LTTE's Northern Forces Operations Command. Heavy fighting lasted till 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The SLA has suffered heavy casualties as the Tigers put up stiff resistance.
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SLA Tank destroyed in Mukamaalai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 April 2008, 04:13 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army Tank was destroyed at Mukamaalai Forward Defence Line (FDL) Tuesday around 7:30 a.m. when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) anti-tank unit confronted the SLA soldiers who attempted to break the Tiger FDL, according to LTTE's Northern Front Operations Command. Meanwhile, an SLA artillery and mortar launchpad caught fire as the Tigers targeted the installation, the Tigers said.
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Confrontations stepped up in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 April 2008, 18:49 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Operations Command in Mannaar told media in Ki'linochchi that the LTTE defensive formations confronted two offensive thrusts by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Mannaar on two fronts Monday morning and that the LTTE mounted an attack on SLA stationed in Koayilmoaddai. 7 SLA soldiers were killed and 21 wounded in the first confrontation at Kaaththaangku'lam between 5:30 and 10:00 a.m. and another confrontation lasted for 2 hours when SLA launched an offensive push from Thirukkeatheesvaram towards Paappaamoaddai.
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34 security personnel killed, 236 injured in 17 days - SLA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 April 2008, 09:04 GMT]
During the last seventeen days 34 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) have been killed and 263 others were injured in the war front, media reports quoted SLA military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara as saying at Thursday press briefing held at Media Centre for National Security in Colombo.
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Tamil woman arrested at politico's funeral in Ratnapura

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 April 2008, 05:15 GMT]
Ratnapura police Thursday arrested a Tamil woman attending a funeral event of a leading member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Police said she was taken in for questioning on suspicion that she being a member of the LTTE, reports from Ratnapura said.
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Resettlement of Allaippiddi IDPs begins

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 April 2008, 18:27 GMT]
Thirteen families of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Allaipiddi, the islet village where 13 civilians were massacred by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in May 2006, have been resettled in Allaippiddi in the first stage of resettlement, according to Jaffna Secretariat. 65 more families are ready to return to Allaippiddi and to occupy houses built for them with the help of World Vision, International and local NGOs and they will be resettled on Monday, Jaffna Government Agent announced. Education Department officials in the islet are making arrangement to reopen Paraasakthi Maha Viththiyalam, the only school in Allaippiddi.
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30 SLA killed in 4 fronts in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 April 2008, 17:00 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan said at least 30 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 75 wounded when LTTE defensive formations in Mannaar confronted a four-pronged SLA attempt to advance west of Giant's Tanks in Mannaar. Tigers lost 3 cadres in the fighting that lasted from 5:30 a.m. till 1:30 p.m. The SLA continued to target Madu area with artillery and mortar fire and sporadic clashes were reported west of Thadcha'naamaruthamadu, according to Tiger military spokesman.
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SLA intensifies checks, search operations in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 April 2008, 16:32 GMT]
Following the shooting incident in Nalloor Thursday in which a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was seriously injured, SLA in Jaffna intensified its checks and searches in areas inside Jaffna Municipality area, subjecting people who were busily engaged in purchases for the Tamil-Sinhala New Year celebrations, sources in Jaffna said.
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Mother, daughter seek protection with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 April 2008, 16:01 GMT]
A mother, with her 9-year-old daughter, sought protection Friday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.
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America welcomes release of 11 children from Pillayan Group

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 April 2008, 18:08 GMT]
The United States on Thursday welcomed the release of eleven underage personnel of the Pillayan Group, the paramilitary-cum-political party Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).
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SLA trooper shot, injured in Nalloor

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 April 2008, 12:19 GMT]
Unknown gunmen opened fire on group of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers distributing food to fellow soldiers Thursday 7:45 a.m. near Kailaasapillaiyar Temple, in Nalloor, Jaffna, Sources in Jaffna said. The incident took place in front of the old offices of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
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SLA instructs outstation farm workers to leave Mannaar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 April 2008, 02:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers have issued instructions to farmers in Mannaar district to send back all laborers brought from outstations. Farmers have brought this matter to the notice of he Wanni district parliamentarian Sivasakthi Aanandan, media sources said.
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SLA conducts large scale search operation in Vadamaraadchchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 April 2008, 01:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers conducted a large scale cordon and search operation Wednesday morning in Vadamaraadchi following the shooting incident where unidentifed armed men seriously injured a youth Monday evening in the vicinity of Vallipurakkoayil area in Vadamaraadchi, sources in Point Pedro said.
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Gun men rob grocery stores in Vanthaarumoolai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 April 2008, 00:16 GMT]
Unidentified armed men robbed two business establishments one at Chiththaandi and another at Vanthaarumoolai in Batticaloa district Sunday night sources said.
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