Journalists on Thursday had the opportunity to interview soldiers stationed close to the army Forward Defence Lines (FDL) set up few kilometres from the Mankulam town. The mediapersons were taken to the liberated areas of Kanagarayankulam, Olumadu and periphery of Mankulam on a trip organised jointly by the military and the Department of Information, the second such visit to a front in less than five days. On Sunday, journalists were taken to the Kilinochchi, Paranthan sector, via Palaly and Elephant Pass.

The journalists were surprised to find that many soldiers interviewed were not waiting for an opportunity to rush back home. A 22-year-old soldier from the Special Forces said, "I don't have a job back home. I prefer to do this as an occupation." He had lost a dear friend in the LTTE attack on Mullaitivu and he had seen many of his colleagues suffer injuries but he said it did not deter him from performing his duties on the battlefield. "Just because a colleague falls down with an injury, we cannot stop. We must go on and face the fire," he said with determination.

Nineteen-year-old Chandrasiri, who had recently suffered shrapnel cuts in a mortar attack, said he had joined the army to fight. He did not join the army to go home. Talking about the attack, he said he had come in a vehicle with provisions for the men when the mortar landed and exploded. He can remember a lot of dust but had not known at the time what had happened.

Yet another pointed out that "those days, we could not even dream of stepping beyond the Thandikulam checkpoint. Today, we have come this far. We are only a little distance away from Mankulam". Asked whether he thought the route to Kilinochchi could be cleared soon, he smiled: "we will have to see".

New batch of Armoured Personnel Vehicles on the main supply route at Kanagarayankulam heading to the front.(pic by Saranapala Pamunuwa)

These men were on duty at the 'headquarters' of the army deployment on the periphery of Mankulam. Here, logistical operations are performed and supplies are stored. The forward headquarters also had a small 'hospital' tent which could be expanded to accommodate larger numbers if necessary. The tent had life-saving equipment and medics were able to perform minor operations on the spot before sending men who require further treatment to larger hospitals. More than 15 such field operations had been performed since the army set it up there, an army doctor said.

The boys are dug-in in the thick jungle of the Wanni where they have installed sets of two tents each designed to accommodate four of them. Every night, one keeps watch in turns over the group while the others sleep. Life is not easy. Food comes from ration packs and water from a bowser. LTTE mortars are inevitable.

Yet there is time for a joke or a smile. Most soldiers along the route to Mankulam peered at the three Armoured Personnel Vehicles (APV) carrying journalists with curiosity and some even waved.

According to the army, their FDL is only about 2.5 kilometres from the town of Mankulam. Troops hope to take Mankulam soon There are about 32 kilometres from Mankulam to Kilinochchi.

One of the brigade commanders of the 531 brigade, Col. Nimal Jayasuriya, said at certain places the LTTE and troops face each other with less than 150 yards between them. "However, because of thick jungle, they cannot see us and we cannot see them. All the movements which go on in these jungles are stealthy, planned and quiet," he explained.

Overall Operations Commander (OOC), Major General Sri Lal Weerasooriya, addressing a press conference at the Command Centre in Vavuniya, said there have been fierce confrontations at several stages since the start of the Jayasikuru operation. Among them were the battles for Puliyankulam and Olumadu. "However, in every counter-attack, the losses of the LTTE are proportionately greater than losses sustained by us. The figures are correct," he said. In the last battle at Kilinochchi, 274 LTTE cadres were killed, he said.

The worst is not over yet, he said, not by any means. In fact, it is far from it. The battle to capture Mankulam will be a very heavy and strategic one. The Tigers have a strategic interest in it because there is a main access route to Mullaitivu through Mankulam. The LTTE has already lost one route which runs from Puliyankulam through Nedunkerni to Mullaitivu. "They will do their best and we will do our best," Major General Weerasooriya stressed.

"Roads are pretty bad and we have electricity supply only up to Omanthai. If the services are provided, it will help us more," he said.

As for the fighting capability of the LTTE, he is convinced that it is greatly reduced. They have cut down their attacks to mortar attacks and try not to confront the army. Resistance is put up through mortars. They also very economical in their use of arms. However, the army has not dismissed the possibility of them coming from behind and hitting them. "We have got to cater for that also," he said.

The army claims that 3,200 LTTE cadres have been killed since the commencement of Jayasikuru in May while only 1,400 army personnel have lost their lives.

Major General Weerasooriya said it is "still in the balance" whether the army would push southwards from Kilinochchi. Meanwhile, once the main supply route is captured, the army would hold on to it and go for LTTE bases to the east and west of it. The LTTE would also have to increase their sea movements to get across from the east to the west of the island.

As for recruitment drives by the LTTE, Brigadier Jayantha Ranaweera, noted that it is ongoing and fierce both on the east and west. He said most of the LTTE bodies recovered by the army after battles were of young boys. "The press must convey to parents of young Tamil boys and girls to protect their children from the LTTE. The army is fighting for the whole country with everyone's interests at heart. The LTTE is only fighting and sacrificing lives of one group of people, so that they could achieve their personal goals," said 53 division commander, Major General Neil Dias.

Journalists were also taken to an FDL maintained by the Sri Lanka Airforce under Wing Commander Mohan Zoysa. A sector on the western flank of the main supply route came under the protection of the air force after the army requested them for help about 6 months ago. This particular FDL was situated about 8 kilometres west from the town of Kanagarayankulam in thick jungle.

In a clearing in the centre of the jungle, the air force men had laid out tables with fruit and drink for the journalists. A map of the area stood in the centre. Above it in bold letters was the quotation, "It is a beautiful and wonderful thing to die for one's country". The FDL captured on the western flank contains also the old railway line. Army spokesman, Brigadier Sarath Munasinghe, explained that this was because the army wished to have control of both road and rail routes.

Wing Commander Zoysa says his FDLs are flexible. They don't necessarily remain installed in one position. They move backwards and forwards. Also, he has deployed groups of men outside the FDL. They stay in the jungle monitoring Tiger movements and watching out for infiltrations for long stretches of time. "If we have to fight guerrillas, we have to establish a guerrilla-type form of defence," he said.

The Wing Commander says there hasn't been a single infiltration through air force defences all this time. There have, however, been a few cases of infiltration through army defences, according to the army.

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