Muhamale Still Under Intermittent LTTE Attacks

Sri Lanka Army News

JAFFNA: REPORTS FROM THE NORTH IN THE aftermath of Wednesday’s (11) confrontations that occurred in and around MUHAMALE and KILALY Forward Defence Line (FDL) areas in JAFFNA after Tiger (LTTE) terrorists went on mounting heavy attacks, confirmed that casualties among LTTE terrorists could exceed as high as some two hundred killed and a similar number seriously injured.

Troops are in full control of their FDLs as of Thursday (12) noon while consolidating their positions and clearing affected areas in and around MUHAMALE. At the same time Air Force Kfir jets Thursday (12) morning without taking any further chances pounded several terrorist targets in PALAI area, south of MUHAMALE, from where terrorists continuously used to launch artillery and mortar attacks on the troops after hiding in prepared positions and elsewhere.

Similarly, terrorists once again this morning (12) began their intermittent artillery and mortar attacks on the MUHAMALE and KILALY FDLs, but determined troops went on responding to their fire attacks.

Reports from KILINOCHCHI meanwhile asserted that terrorists were hysterically seeking the public assistance for donation of blood to the LTTE victims, despite their media reports, which boasted of their gains against the troops of the Sri Lanka Army.

The Security Forces were forced to successfully retaliate and repulse continued LTTE attempts to breach the FDLs of the Security Forces during the past few days. Early Wednesday (11) morning terrorists recommenced their intense attacks on the troops as usual, prompting the troops to counter intensity of those terrorist attacks with the help of the Air Force and Naval troops. (See Situation Reports 11 October 2006)

The fierce fighting that erupted Wednesday (11) morning after terrorists began to pose a major threat continued until late evening. The fighting killed 43 heroic soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army, in addition to a few numbers that had gone missing as a result of the confrontations. As of Wednesday (11) night a total of 224 Army personnel received injuries in the battle but all of them have now been declared out of danger as this report went for publication by Thursday (12) noon.

“Under cover of heavy artillery assaults, groups of terrorists attacked Army strong positions on a wide front. Troops fought back. We didn’t give-up any territory. There had been fierce close-quarter fighting. Intermittent artillery and mortar fire still continues, Military Spokesman Brigadier PRASAD SAMARASINGHE was quoted saying.

Following medical advice, 73 Army personnel injured in the fighting were airlifted to COLOMBO National Hospital within hours of their injury while the rest were transferred to Sri Jayawardanapura Hospital, Military Hospital in COLOMBO, General and Army Hospitals in ANURADHAPURA. Hospital sources confirmed condition of many soldiers remains stable after medical experts on their admission to respective hospitals performed necessary surgeries.

The Army has finalized all arrangements to get in contact with next of kin of all the soldiers who had paid the supreme sacrifice or gone missing in action after terrorists tried to break into government controlled areas. All those defensive operations were meant to neutralize LTTE enemy positions and protect FDLs of the Security Forces.

Funerals of those valiant soldiers are to be held shortly with full Military Honours after preliminary legal procedures are over.