THREE PRONGED ATTACK TO RETAKE JAFFNA PENINSULA BY THE LTTE
FAILS AND THE TAMIL TIGERS LOSE BETWEEN 150-200 CADRES

By Walter Jayawardhana

A major offensive launched by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) apparently to retake the Jaffna Peninsula yesterday, after heavy fighting, was lost independent sources in Jaffna said.
The three pronged attack on Sri Lanka Security Forces at Muhamalai, Kilali and Kayts were definitely defeated by the combined efforts of the Army, Navy and the Air Force the same sources said.

Simultaneously, diversionary attacks at Trincomalee and Mavil Aru irrigation canal also did not achieve expected results for the Tamil rebel group the same sources revealed.

The heavy fighting using artillery attacks, jet bombings and multi barrel rockets caused heavy casualties to the security forces as well as to the Tamil Tigers according to spokesmen of both sides. According to intercepted radio messages among LTTE fighters and Kilinochchi more than 150 to 200 of the Tiger cadres have died the Sri Lanka army sources said.

The media center for national security in Colombo confirmed the independent reports by saying, “The Security Forces field commanders in the peninsula activated their defensive contingency plans in time against the tiger offensives and out-maneuvered the terrorists at al three fronts.”

The statement confirms that the security forces were expecting the three pronged attack to take over Jaffna peninsula.

The media center said, “Tigers attempted to secure a beachhead at Kayts during the same( August 11) night at which the Security Forces with the assistance of Air and Artillery routed the terrorists killing over 25 and destroying five of their boats. These cadres were later revealed as sea tigers.”
“The Security Forces are right now in the process of searching with the assistance of commandos for those few terrorists who had got trapped inside Kayts Island. The numbers are not exceeding more than ten.”

They further said, “The attempts by the tigers to penetrate in to the Security Forces defenses at Kilaly in the night were in futility as the brave (Sri Lanka Navy) SLN sailors there annihilated the infiltrators with the assistance of Air force making five of the tiger boats to sink. Nine bodies believed to be of the sea tigers were washed ashore by the sunrise”

The media center added, “The SF (Security Forces) intercepting the tiger communication monitored the instructions by the Poonarin to ‘get back’ with the other damaged boats. Heavily beaten tigers fell back with bitter lessons. Vast number of casualties to terrorists is estimated during this confrontation”

“The Security Forces are right now in the process of searching with the assistance of commandos for those few terrorists who had got trapped inside Kayts Island. The numbers are not exceeding more than ten,” the statement further added.

A bus of sea tigers about to be sent to Kayts with 60 LTTE marine wing fighters was completely destroyed with all the fighters in it by the air force the same sources said.

Defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said the conflict started by attacking the forward defense lines separating the LTTE controlled area and the Sri Lanka government controlled areas in the North. He said the security forces has lost 37 men while 93 have been injured.”

Based on the intercepted radio messages the LTE has lost between 150-200 fighters Rambukwella said. But Rasiah Ilanthirayan, the LTTE military spokesman said only 12 of their men were killed and 27 injured.

The Sri Lanka Air Force caused heavy casualties when they bombed the LTTE’s Tharawai military camp, S. Pulidevan, the head of the Peace Secretariat of the LTTE complained from Kilinochchi. LTTE sources did not say the number of casualties . But other Tamil sources said the Kfir jets had 6 sorties of bombings.

At least one navy sailor and three civilians working at the Prima jetty doing loading and unloading have been killed by the artillery shells fired by the Sampoor LTTE military camp at Trincomalee Naval Base naval sources said.

Fresh attacks at Mavil Aru has caused nine more soldiers to die there while at least 20 more LTTE guerillas also have died sources said. Kantalai Base hospital continued to receive the injured army soldiers Sri Lanka government sources said.

Before the Jaffna offensive of the LTTE an attempt to smuggle in a large haul of LTTE weapons in to the government controlled areas on a roof of a private bus was foiled at Muhamalai entry-exit points, the Sri Lanka Army said. The weapons were to be delivered to LTTE elements to cause violence during the offensive, the army said.

Four T-56 weapons, 125 rounds of ammunition, 15 magazines, one pistol and twenty four pistol rounds, three magazines, four anti personnel mines, thirty detonators, two suicide jacket switches, two claymore mine remote controllers, four claymore mine manual devices, ten hand grenades, one communication set, five 9-volt batteries and two pen torch batteries were found hidden on the roof of the bus (36 Sri 3639) which was

Traveling from the LTTE controlled area to the government controlled area , the army said. The driver, Thuraisingham Logeswaran Kumar and his assistant Sivagnanam Gnakumar were arrested. They are to be produced before a magistrate.