LTTE AND SRI LANKA NAVY CLASHES OCCUR NEAR TIGER STRONG HOLD OF MULTHIVI IN THE SEA AND THE GROUND ; TEN SEA TIGERS DIE

By Walter Jayawardhana

Sri Lanka Defense sources said that 10 sea tigers were killed and 12 others wee injured in a mid night clash that occurred between them and the Sri Lanka Navy close to the Liberation Tigers OF Tamil Eelam stronghold of Mulativu.

The sources said the mid sea clash occurred between a Sri Lanka naval contingent and Sea Tigers when Navy boats noticed a cluster of rebel boats heading towards Pulmudai from Nayaru near the LTTE stronghold of Mulativu,May 4.

“Two Tiger boats were destroyed in a naval battle last night as 26 of their boats were sailing south from (rebel-controlled) Mullaithivu," said military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe.

"Our navy Dvora (Israeli-built attack boats) have engaged them. We suspect 10 of them were killed, as they were two large boats," he added, saying four rebel suicide vessels were also sighted but got away.

Defense Ministry sources said the Sea Tiger cluster of boats consisted of ten large boats, 12 smaller boats and four suicide boats. Due to better fire power in the naval craft six Tiger boats were also severely damaged, according to the Defense sources. The Defense Ministry said two of their sailors were also injured.

On the same day midnight , Sri Lanka Navy ground troops confronted LTTE ground movements trying to move towards Pulmudai. There had been a severe small arms clash between the enemies.

The defense ministry said , “Later the SL Naval troops were able to recover three claymore mines, each weighing 05kgs'; a RPG launcher and 100 pressure mine fuses. Eighteen cyanide capsules, a LTTE communication set and thirty pairs of blood stained slippers were among the other recoveries. “
The defense Ministry sources said the fleeing Tigers have fired at a fishing village and killed two civilians and injured three.