Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops are now moving towards the LTTE’s High Security Zone (HSZ).
Progress is slow because the path ahead is lined with mines and booby traps.
Troops have to traverse through jungle and open area as well through some villages too.
A reliable source reported that, the LTTE had ordered the villagers to vacate their houses and confine themselves to LTTE controlled areas and used older civilians as human shields.
The LTTE has positioned snipers to attack troops, according to a battlefront officer who said that this LTTE strategy is well known to the SLA.
The Army’s main aim is to overrun the LTTE heartland, so that, the innocent civilians could be freed from the grip of the Tigers and then destroy their weapons, armaments, equipment, ordnance and infrastructure.
To eradicate terrorism in any country, the main counter terrorism method is to destroy terrorist infrastructure and raw materials used for manufacturing explosives as well as to build up a solid intelligence network.
SLA success within a year
While the war in the Eastern Province was going on, the SLA Chief conducted limited operations on the Northern front with Special Infantry Oriented Trained (SIOT) troops who infiltrated enemy territory and eliminated the enemy under the maxim of ‘maximum deaths for the enemy and minimum deaths for the troops.’
He set up additional Offensive Divisions 57 and 59, Task Force 1 or 58 Division, 56 Division and Task Force 2 to confront the LTTE on many fronts. In future, more Divisions’ will be created to counter the enemy and increase the strength of the Elite Commandos and Special Forces
The targets were Kilinochchi and Mulativu.
Battle-hardened General Officer Commanders (GOCs) and Brigade Commanders worked according to a perfect military plan while Wanni Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya supervised offensives on the instructions of the Army Commander.
Remarkable support from the Artillery and Armoured Corps with their fire power destroyed LTTE military installations and killed its cadres. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) too, accurately bombed and destroyed LTTE military installations.
Operation Jaya Sikuru The objective of Operation Jayasikuru was to open the A9 Road. Operation Jayasikuru was the longest operation in Sri Lanka, taking nearly two years, beginning on May 13, 1997 and ending on November 5, 1999. Yet, the troops were able to reach only Oddusuddan and a little further north, after capturing Omanthai, Kanakarayankulam, Olumadu and Mankulam.
The operation kicked off from Vavuniya with only one front. The lack of a military plan and unheeding intelligence warnings by the then field commanders, led to troops marching on to Oddusuddan.
In that time, LTTE leader Prabhakaran summoned eastern leader Karuna and carried out two successful counteroffensives from the rear at Oddusuddan junction, with the result that, the entire operation ended in a debacle. Then President Chandrika Kumaratunga ordered the Army Commander to set up a court martial and punish the senior officers responsible.
Battlefront
‘Eelam War IV’ is now entering a decisive phase. In the Mannar sector, the security forces have progressed during the last two weeks to Mulankavil (south-east of Nachchikudah on the Mannar coast) on the A32 Road to Pooneryn and entered the Kilinochchi District. At the moment, they are positioned northeast of Nachchikudah, five kms inside Kilinochchi District at Vannerikulam.
They are linking the Tunukkai-Mallavi line, west of Mankulam on the A9 Highway, increasing the threat to the LTTE’s Pooneryn and Kilinochchi defences. This should put the LTTE in a dilemma as the security forces have two options - to strike along the A32 Road to Pooneryn withholding operations along the Tunukkai-Uyilankulam-Mallavi sector, or proceed the other way, to threaten Kilinochchi. Both options are viable, as they have another Task Force guarding the eastern flank of 57 Division operating close to the A9 Road. 57 Division troops have moved to the west of Mallavi and east of Mankulam, as well as to the west of Akkarayankulam tank.
The Vavuniya front is in the northern section of the Vavuniya District lying between Omanthai and Mankalam, and also on either side of the A9 Road. Troops of Task Force 2, 56 Division and 61 Division are operating on the Vavuniya front at present.
61 Division troops are mainly engaged in clearing operations in the recently liberated areas of both Mannar and Vavuniya Districts. 56 Division troops maintain active defense on the line that stretches from east to west across the A9 Road at Omanthai as well as conduct offensive too.
Troops of Task Force 2 carry out counteroffensives along the northwestern border of the Vavuniya District west of the A9 Road.
To date, they have liberated Navvi village and are now in the process of liberating the Palamoddai area.
In the WeliOya sector, though 59 Division has managed to capture the Andankulam bases, one by one, of One Four Base
Troops’ battlefront successes has been purely due to leadership and military tactics, higher coordination of the war involving multiple formations, effective use of Special Forces and Commandos in tandem, with conventional operations and retaining the military initiative at all times, with the SLAF MI 24 helicopter gunships giving tremendous support to the ground troops.
During the last six months, the LTTE has lost its operational capabilities considerably, forcing the group to specifically target military logistics.
LTTE leader Prabhakaran had three leaders specially trained in counteroffensives and counterattacks. They were Balraj, Karan and Thileepan, of who only Thileepan remains.
He was the Jaffna commander, but when the SLA advance intensified, Thileepan was appointed overall commander and ordered to carry out counteroffensives and counterattacks, which were successfully repulsed by the Army.
The LTTE does not have reserve cadres for counteroffensives because their cadres are limited and those cadres are defensive.
More critical has been the ground lost during this period. The LTTE is now confined to a much smaller area than what it previously controlled.
The SLA has entered Kilinochchi and Mulativu Districts. LTTE supply lines have been crippled, one by one - first, on account of the group being completely cut off from the rest of the country by the SLA and second, due to the strict vigilance maintained at sea, so that, most of the LTTE’s overseas supplies were blocked. The LTTE has clearly lost its advantage over the security forces and remain surrounded on all three sides by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces
Reasons for LTTE setback
There are several reasons for the LTTE’s present state. Firstly, Sri Lanka is not alone in fighting the rebel forces this time. It has active support from its neighbours India and the Maldives, besides the US and Canada.
It is clear that, without timely and effective assistance from the Indian Navy and the Coastguard, the Sea Tigers could not have been weakened. No less significant has been the contribution of Tamil Nadu Police’s ‘Q’ Branch, which did a commendable job in reining in the rebel activists and sympathisers in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The LTTE’s capabilities to retain its hold over the areas it traditionally claimed to be its own, has suffered, in part, from the hostile attitude of the countries which once supported its formation by providing training facilities to its cadres and in part, from the leadership crisis within the group. As most of the LTTE’s senior leaders were either killed or are suffering from age-related problems, it faces an acute shortage of well-trained and experienced leadership. Official estimates put the figure at five to six experienced commanders.
It is widely believed that, the LTTE still has about 3,000 hardcore fighters, which it has reserved for its ‘final battle’. Some observers say that a large number of these foot soldiers are underage and are novices. No group with such a shortage of men and commanders could hope to retain territory or regain lost ground. Shortage of arms and ammunition has only added to the LTTE’s growing difficulties. LTTE cadres are demoralised.
To win a conventional war or for a successful guerilla campaign, either side which dominates on the ground and produces result has to have a very high morale. To win a battle, morale is vital.
The LTTE today, is battling for survival. The mounting losses have forced the group to retreat on several fronts. It is now targeting the South, to ease the pressure from the security forces in the North. It has turned to the time-tested method of guerrilla warfare and its future strategy would be on similar lines. It must, however, be said that, a complete decimation of the group, despite the current setbacks, would remain a remote possibility.
As earlier reported, intelligence has it that, Imran Pandian Brigade provided bodyguards for Prabhakaran, his wife and son.
In the aftermath of the capture of Tunukkai, he has reportedly released 100 of his own cadres to the battlefront.
Are they to ‘Do or Die’ according to Prabhakaran’s order? Or are they to surrender?
Pakistan promises ammunition
Pakistan has promised ‘one shipload of wherewithal every 10 days’ in the coming months, to help the SLA’s fight-to-a-finish push against the LTTE. And are preparing for their final push against the LTTE, to enter the LTTE heartland within months.
Such an intensive military operation would need large quantities of ammunition for an effective and decisive offensive. Sri Lanka, traditionally, has been accessing weapons and ammunition from China, Pakistan, and the East European countries. Pakistan’s promised help was the result of the personal rapport between Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and the Pakistan Army’s Chief of Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.
Kayani has assured that, he would divert the ammunition from his army’s own war reserves, rather than wait for the ordnance factories to deliver, said a reliable source.
Pakistan had earlier, in 2000, helped Sri Lanka with Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRLs) and ammunition, when the SLA was under LTTE siege in Jaffna. Significantly, early this month, Pakistan had offered Sri Lanka a Defence Pact to strengthen military cooperation between the countries.
Not only Pakistan, there are many other countries supporting Sri Lanka to eradicate terrorism.
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