THOPPIGALA CAPTURE IS DONE
WITHOUT KARUNAS HELP
By Walter Jayawardhana
Sri Lanka Army and the Special task Force has come to
the conclusion that it is useless to wait any longer for Karunas
men to make a forward thrust in the Thopigala jungle terrain and to
follow it up with a large contingent of regular armed forces to flush
out the remaining Tiger cadres in the East.
Asian Tribune leant that Karuna came forward to send his cadres as advance
force in the Thoppigala jungle region prior to the split with Pillaiyan
before 04 May.
After the split more than 850 armed cadres left Karuna and joined Pillaiyan
in Trincomalee. Karuna was left with a balance of 300 cadres out of
which a majority of them are underage recruits who have been forcefully
recruited by Jeeventhiran and Thileepan.
Subsequently It is learnt as Karuna was unable to undertake the campaign
with his baby brigade, he has asked initially for a 10-day time to regroup
and begin the operation. It was unfortunate Karuna who has already expended
his usefulness has failed to live up to his words. Later he asked for
a second and third grace period for them to regroup to start the operation
in the Thoppigala jungle area.
Few days ago Karuna dispatched his field commanders Makilan, Jeeventhiran,
Mangalan and Sinnathamby to meet the STF higher-ups at Akkaraipattu.
At the meeting STF officials have reminded Karunas commanders
about the Thoppigala operations and told that the flushing up operation
of the remaining cadres in the East is unnecessarily delayed due to
procrastination of Karuna.
Asian Tribune learnt that STF officials have told that they have no
alternative, but will allow cadres from Trincomalee to do the operation
as planned. Cadres from Trincomalee mean those cadres loyal to Pilliayian.
As the field commanders were unable to convince the STF officials, they
called Karuna and explained the situation to him.
Accordingly after listening to his field commanders Karuna instructed
them to ask for another 10 days time for regrouping to march into the
remaining areas controlled by the Tigers in the Thoppigala region.
Even though cadres conveyed Karunas message it seems the STF officials
were not convinced at the procrastination of Karuna.
In the meantime in some battles described as that could possibly become
the last military conflicts to take over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) enclave of Thoppigala in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka
the infantry and commando units of the Sri Lanka Army overran four rebel
camps.
"I think this might be the last battle in Thoppigala. We estimate
troops killed 30 Tigers, plus three Tigers committed suicide in front
of our troops, said a military spokesman at the media Center for
National Security.
Defence sources said The Army has successfully conducted operations
in Pankudaveli North, and Narakamulla South in the Thoppigala area during
June 9 Saturday.
Ibbanvila, Veppanveli, Akkarativu, and Mavediodai have been identified
as the LTTE camps that fell due the Army onslaught of infantry and commando
units supported by artillery and mortar fire.
The three insurgents of the LTTE have committed suicide by swallowing
cyanide capsules hanging from their necks.
Army said one of their soldiers was killed and 17 others were injured
in these intense jungle battles.
The army said eight bodies they were able to pick up after the jungle
battle had been handed over to the ICRC through the Police.
Army sources said their radio eavesdroppers have heard frantic calls
by the rebel camps for reinforcements from the Wanni leadership but
no such help visibly came nor did they receive any positive response.
The army said they have so far recovered heavy weapons including six
Medium Purpose Machine Guns and four Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers
, Twenty one T - 56 assault rifles and large quantities of live ammunition
of all varieties including GPMG ammunition , Anti personnel mines,
explosive devices and military hardware.
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