Gamini Goonetilleke

The first mortar screamed just after dawn on 10 June 1990. It tore through the coral-stone ramparts of Jaffna fort, the blast rattling every window in the city. Inside the pentagonal walls, 130 men- soldiers of the Sinha Regiment and young police recruits- looked at one another and knew: this was no skirmish. This was a siege.

For 107 days, the old Portuguese-Dutch-British fortress became the eye of a storm that swallowed the peninsula, Outside, LTTE snipers hid in the public library, mortars thundered from behind the post office, and a home-built monster called the Pasilan 2000 prowled the streets. Inside, the defenders rationed rice, drank brackish well water, and buried their dead between crumbling colonial walls.

LTTE Invention – Pasilan 2000

I wasn’t behind those ramparts, but I treated the men who were there. At Palaly Base Hospital, we waited for helicopters that came in low over the lagoon, carrying boys with limbs shredded by shrapnel and policeman who hadn’t seen their families in hundred days.

Walk today along those same ramparts. Beneath the grass lie the bunkers where men prayed, the corners where fourteen soldiers were buried, and the echoes of a siege that still whispers through Jaffna’s wind.

Jaffna Fort: The Fortress That Became a Battlefield

Jaffna Fort stands as one of Sri Lanka’s most imposing reminders of the island’s turbulent past. Situated on fifty-five acres in the heart of Jaffna city and overlooking the shallow lagoon, its massive coral and stone ramparts dominate the landscape. The pentagonal, star-shaped design reflects seventeenth-century European coastal fortification principles, while the complex once housed administrative buildings, barracks, chapels, warehouses, and defensive bastions.

Built in 1618 by the Portuguese under Phillipe de Oliveira to consolidate control over the peninsula, the fort later fell to the Dutch East India Company in 1658. The Dutch expanded and strengthened it, transforming the site into a major centre of administration, trade, and defence. In 1795, the United Kingdom assumed control, and the fort subsequently served as a military base, logistics hub, and medical facility. After independence in 1948, it remained an important garrison of the Sri Lankan armed forces.

For decades the structure existed largely as a historical monument. However, the outbreak of civil war in the early 1980s turned it into a heavily militarised stronghold. Between 1983 and 1995 the fort witnessed repeated battles, sieges, and changes of control. The 107-day siege from June to September 1990, fought between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, became particularly significant. It highlighted the strategic and symbolic value of the fort, the resilience of the besieged garrison, and the broader military and political realities of the conflict in northern Sri Lanka.

This essay explores the context, course, and implications of that siege within the wider trajectory of the war

Symbolic Value to Both Sides

During the civil war, the fort assumed enormous symbolic importance. For the Sri Lankan state, retaining control over Jaffna Fort demonstrated governmental authority in the Tamil-majority North. The national flag flying above its ramparts signified sovereignty in an area increasingly contested by separatist forces.

For the LTTE, capturing the fort meant much more than holding territory. It represented psychological victory, control of the heart of Jaffna city, and a step toward legitimizing their claim of liberation.” Thus, when battle finally engulfed the fort, both sides fought with extraordinary determination.

Several Key Dates, Framed the Events Leading to the 1990 Siege:

Sri Lanka’s civil war escalated dramatically after the events of 23 July 1983, when a landmine attack in Jaffna triggered nationwide anti-Tamil riots known as Black July, pushing the country into full-scale conflict. The Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 brought the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka on 30 July, leading soon after to Operation Pawan on 10 October 1987, a major and bloody confrontation with the LTTE in Jaffna. After a controversial mission marked by heavy casualties and political tension, the IPKF completely withdrew by the end of March 1990, creating a power vacuum in the North. A tenuous ceasefire from March to June 1990 collapsed as trust eroded and both sides quietly prepared for renewed hostilities, culminating in police personnel retreating to the fortified Jaffna Fort on 8–9 June amid escalating threats. Full-scale fighting exploded on 10 June 1990, marking the start of Eelam War II and setting the immediate conditions for the impending siege of Jaffna Fort.

Preparation for Battle after the Departure of the IPKF

During the Indian intervention (1987–1990), both the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE underwent dramatic expansion. The Sri Lankan military modernized rapidly, increasing manpower, acquiring new weapon systems, and receiving training in counter-insurgency tactics. Simultaneously, the LTTE gained extensive experience confronting a large conventional army and emerged from the conflict more confident, organized, and battle-hardened.

By the time the IPKF withdrew, both sides had renewed their focus on strategic targets. The Jaffna Fort became an obvious flashpoint, being centrally located and easily identifiable from any direction in the city.

LTTE Deployment and Preparations

During the ceasefire period, the LTTE carefully positioned itself for a large-scale assault. Fighters occupied or fortified major buildings surrounding the fort, including the Telecommunication Department building, the Jaffna Public Library, the Post Office, Duraiappa Stadium, Regal Theatre, and several adjoining streets and houses.

The group consisting of both male and female LTTE fighters constructed robust underground bunkers, dug trenches, and concealed heavy weapons. Anti-aircraft guns were moved into place to threaten helicopter-borne resupply. Simultaneously, Palaly Military Base—the lifeline of the peninsula—was surrounded to impede troop movement and logistical support. The LTTE understood that if they captured Jaffna Fort, they could isolate large segments of government control and dramatically weaken state presence in the peninsula.

Composition of the Fort Garrison

When fighting broke out in June 1990, approximately 200 personnel were stationed inside the fort. Of these, 84 belonged to the Sixth Battalion of the Sinha Regiment, and the rest comprised young policemen, many newly trained and on their first major posting. A sizable number hailed from the Eastern Province. Their lack of combat experience would later magnify the difficulties of resisting a seasoned and well-armed insurgency.

Among them were two policemen described here under pseudonyms—Omar and Abdullah—whose injuries and survival would not only become emblematic of the siege’s human cost but were also able to provide me with an eye witness account of the siege after their miraculous recovery from serious injury.

LTTE Fires the First Shots

On 10 June 1990, LTTE units opened fire on the fort. The following day, a large explosive charge detonated close to the lagoon-side entrance, shattering wooden gates but failing to breach defensive positions. Intense small-arms fire raked the walls, and sporadic mortar bombardment continued for days. As snipers moved into adjacent buildings, the garrison found itself under constant threat. Attempts by the military to break the siege began almost immediately.

Operation Eagle 1 – 3 July 1990

In early July, the Sri Lanka Air Force initiated a daring aerial resupply mission. A Bell 212 helicopter gunship, flying under heavy fire, landed on the narrow road outside the fort near the lagoon—the only possible landing zone. Supplies, ammunition, and additional weapons were rapidly unloaded, while injured personnel were evacuated.

Close air support from other Bell 212 gunships armed with .50-caliber machine guns and rockets, as well as bombing runs by SIAI-Marchetti jets, helped suppress LTTE fire long enough for the helicopter to escape safely. This operation temporarily bolstered morale, but the respite was brief.

Deteriorating Conditions within the Fort

As weeks passed, conditions inside the fort worsened dramatically. Ammunition stocks dwindled. Food supplies were nearly exhausted. Water and electricity supply were cut. Only a single well within the fort provided brackish, salty water. Medical supplies were nonexistent. The daily diet consisted of rice and lentils, cooked over makeshift fires. When those ran out, soldiers resorted to eating fish caught from the moat.

Injured personnel were kept in bunkers to avoid further harm, but without antibiotics, dressings, saline, or transfusion facilities, wounds became infected. Fourteen soldiers eventually died from injuries that would otherwise have been survivable. They were buried within the compound.

Air-dropped supplies often missed their target, landing in LTTE territory or the lagoon. Rice bags that did reach the interior burst open on impact, became contaminated with debris, and scattered across the fort floor. One policeman recalled, It was stinking to glory,” describing decaying bodies, shrapnel-embedded walls, and filth.

Improvised Weapons: Pasilan 2000 and Baba Mortar

The LTTE employed grim ingenuity in weaponry. Two notable systems included the Pasilan 2000 – a large mortar launched from a modified tractor, devastating at close range and Baba mortars – improvised heavy-caliber launchers designed to lob explosive payloads irregularly but effectively. Rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) were also fired repeatedly. Although inaccurate, their psychological impact was severe.

Air Force Bombardment of LTTE Positions

Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Sri Lanka Air Force launched systematic bombardment of suspected LTTE positions. Helicopter gunships, light fighters, and transport aircraft modified to drop improvised 200kg barrel bombs” targeted buildings surrounding the fort. Artillery fire from land and naval assets further intensified.

Much of central Jaffna was reduced to rubble. Civilian casualties likely occurred in significant numbers, though precise figures remain unknown. Paradoxically, LTTE fighters benefited from deep underground bunkers, while the open interior of the fort made its defenders vulnerable to falling debris and shockwaves—even from friendly fire. Several soldiers suffered injuries from their own side’s ordnance.

Meanwhile, wounded LTTE cadres were treated openly at Jaffna General Hospital, funded by the state—a surreal and troubling paradox of war.

A Suicidal Offensive by Female Cadres

On 5 August 1990, the LTTE launched a bold infantry assault on the fort’s entrance. This attack was led by an all-female unit commanded by the cadre known as Lt. Sangitha.” During this intense battle, four female fighters, including the commander, were killed. Their action showcased the LTTE’s willingness to deploy women in frontline combat and suicide missions—an unusual feature among insurgencies worldwide. Although repelled, the attack further strained the fort’s defenders, who had to expend precious ammunition.

Medical Duty at Palaly Base Hospital

During this period, simultaneous fighting erupted around Palaly Army Camp. On 23 August 1990, a civilian surgical team—including an anaesthetist and assistant doctor—was flown to Palaly aboard a Y-8 transport aircraft. The mission was to strengthen the surgical team already there to treat casualties arriving from across the peninsula, including from Jaffna Fort. The medical officers worked around the clock with limited facilities, witnessing firsthand the grim toll of the siege.

Injuries to Policemen Inside the Fort

On 25 August, a mortar blast struck the entrance to the fort, killing one policeman instantly and severely wounding Omar. A large section of his left buttock was torn away. Bleeding heavily and terrified, he believed he was facing certain death. As a devout Muslim, he recited the Holy Quran while comrades wrapped him in cloth and carried him to a bunker.

Helicopter evacuation that evening proved impossible due to enemy fire. He remained untreated for nearly 48 hours. Another policeman, Abdullah, had already waited two weeks with a chest wound from shrapnel, blood accumulating dangerously in his pleural cavity—an injury ordinarily fatal without drainage. Both men desperately needed evacuation.

Operation Eagle 2 – 26 August 1990

On 26 August, the Air Force launched another daring rescue attempt. Flying low over the lagoon to avoid radar and gunfire, a helicopter gunship briefly hovered near the fort’s entrance. There was no possibility of landing. Under sustained covering fire, troops hoisted and pushed the wounded inside the aircraft.

As the helicopter climbed, the door gunner held on to the casualties with one hand while firing with the other. Hot spent shells rained onto their bodies, adding burns to their existing injuries. The helicopter landed on Mandativu Island, where preliminary first aid was administered before transferring both casualties to Palaly Hospital by ambulance. Against all odds, they had survived.

Emergency Treatment at Palaly Hospital

At the hospital, Abdullah received the following treatment. A rubber tube was inserted to the chest to drain the blood in the chest cavity. Intravenous fluid, antibiotics were administered followed by blood transfusion.

                         A Victim Being Treated at the Palaly Hospital for a Chest injury

Omar required urgent debridement of gangrenous tissue on his buttocks, blood transfusion, and strong antibiotics to control infection. After five days, both men were stable enough to be flown to Colombo aboard a Y-12 transport plane. The patients and the attending surgeon lay on the floor of the aircraft during the flight—a testament to wartime improvisation.

Further treatment at the Military Hospital and Colombo General Hospital resulted in full recovery.

Continuation of the Battle

Meanwhile, conditions inside the fort deteriorated further. Ammunition was nearly exhausted, food was scarce, and morale sank. Outside, LTTE forces tightened their ring around the compound. As collapse appeared imminent, the Sri Lankan military planned a massive combined assault to break the siege.

Massive Counter-Operation from Mandativu Island

On 13 September 1990, approximately 4,000 soldiers launched an amphibious operation from Mandativu Island, supported by naval gunboats and Air Force aircraft. Artillery thundered from both land and sea. Civilian areas around Jaffna city shook under relentless bombardment.

As troops attempted to land across the lagoon, LTTE fighters entrenched along the coastline poured fire into approaching craft, destroying several vessels and killing numerous soldiers. A SIAI-Marchetti bomber was shot down over the water, its wreckage visible for days.

Mounting casualties forced suspension of the offensive. The trapped garrison was once again isolated.

Withdrawal from Jaffna Fort

By late September 1990, the government concluded that further attempts to hold the fort would result in unnecessary loss of life. On 26 September, the order was given to withdraw. This coincided with the LTTE commemoration of Thileepan’s death anniversary.

Before evacuating, troops destroyed weapons, ammunition stockpiles, and vehicles to prevent capture. The surviving soldiers slipped out under cover of darkness.

For the LTTE, raising the Tamil Eelam” flag over the fort was a moment of immense symbolic triumph. They held the fort for nearly five years.

Recapture During Operation Riviresa (1995)

In late 1995, Sri Lankan forces mounted their largest offensive of the war: Operation Riviresa (Sunshine”). After fifty days of intense fighting, government troops re-entered Jaffna city. On 5 December 1995, the national flag was once again hoisted atop the battered ramparts of Jaffna Fort.

The pendulum had swung back.

Legacy and Aftermath

The siege left deep scars. Buildings inside the fort were extensively damaged. Vast areas of Jaffna town were reduced to rubble. Civilian displacement continued for years. Psychological trauma affected soldiers and civilians alike.

Today, the fort has been partially restored as a historical monument. Visitors walk across the same ramparts once struck by artillery, unaware that beneath their feet lie remnants of bunkers, graves, and battle debris.

Conclusion

The siege of Jaffna Fort in 1990 represents one of the most dramatic episodes of Sri Lanka’s civil war. It encapsulates many of the conflict’s defining features. intense competition for symbolic space, improvisation from both sides, enormous human suffering, blurred lines between soldiers and civilians.

The stubborn defense mounted by a small, under-resourced garrison demonstrated remarkable endurance. Equally, the LTTE’s determination to capture the fort reflected their broader strategy of staged territorial legitimacy.

Ultimately, the fort’s repeated change of hands—Portuguese to Dutch, Dutch to British, British to Sri Lankan state, Sri Lankan state to LTTE, and back again—reflects the shifting tides of history in the Jaffna peninsula. Today, its walls stand silent, bearing witness to centuries of conflict.

However, beyond strategic analyses and tactical evaluations, the siege reminds us of something more enduring: the human dimension of war. The surgeon, the anaesthetist, the young policemen on their first posting, the female cadre leading a suicidal charge—all were bound together in the crucible of Jaffna’s entropy.

In hindsight, the fort’s battered ramparts offer not only a military lesson but also a solemn plea for peace. When seen not as a fortress but as a monument to resilience, loss, and recovery, Jaffna Fort becomes more than a relic—it becomes part of Sri Lanka’s collective memory.

Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke, FRCS is a senior consultant surgeon from Sri Lanka with over four decades of distinguished service. His career spans a wide range of hospitals across the country, including extended service in conflict-affected zones during Sri Lanka’s civil war, where he gained extensive experience in managing complex battle-related injuries. He is a Past President of The College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka and the author of three books: In the Line of Duty: the life and times of a surgeon in war and peace”, The Extra Mile: a surgeon’s experiences”, The Healing Cut: extraordinary surgical triumphs”.