- SLAF says it destroyed Tiger aircraft but heavy damages to personnel and property; 10 suicide cadres killed
- LTTE claims no damage to aircraft; says 20 soldiers killed in pre-dawn raid
- Air force says anti-aircraft radars intact
- Cross fire in P’ment as UNP says dawn attacks casts government claims about rapid northern advance into doubt
By Rathindra Kuruwita & Lakna Paranamanna
The Sri Lanka Air Force yesterday claimed that it had destroyed the first LTTE aircraft during the Tigers’ pre-dawn attempted air raid on the SLAF Base in Vavuniya last morning. Addressing a press briefing, Air Force officials said that pilots had confirmed the plane had gone down over the jungles of Mullaitivu.
Ten LTTE cadres were killed while 11 soldiers died and 15 suffered injuries during the major attack on the security forces headquarters in the Wanni and Air Force Base in Vavuniya by the LTTE. Also, one Police constable was killed and eight others sustained injuries due to enemy artillery fire. Five Air Force personnel also suffered injuries.
Squadron Leader Sanjaya Adhikari, who was present at the Air Force operation room during the attacks, stated that the first indication of the enemy aircraft was sighted at around 3:26 a.m.
“At about 3:26 in the morning, our radar display indicated a southbound LTTE aircraft. We immediately activated our anti aircraft equipment. We received the indications on the second aircraft soon afterwards at around 3:31 a.m.,” said Adhikari. “We suspect that these two aircraft of the LTTE were aiming at one of our strongest points; the Radar Air Defence Unit,” said Adhikari. A couple of fighter jets of the SLAF had immediately been launched from the Katunayake Airbase. In the midst of, the interceptions by the Air Force using anti aircraft artillery, the LTTE had avoided the fire and headed back, releasing the bombs in close proximity to the security force headquarters in the Wanni.
The Air Force fighter jets had followed the aircraft and had destroyed one of them at around 3:55 a.m. in the skies of South Mullaitivu.
Mullaitivu is still an area controlled by the LTTE. “The LTTE communications systems and our pilots have confirmed the tear down of one of the rebel aircraft,” asserted Adhikari.
The terrorists had also simultaneously launched a pre-ground attack by means of artillery fire to cause severe damage to the Air Force assets in the Vavuniya Air Base. Amidst the return attacks by the forces on the LTTE cadres, all 10 of them had been killed.
Also, explaining the security situation of those areas, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the forces are in complete control of the security situation in those areas. “The troops have entered Kilinochchi. The eastern areas of Malavi are captured and so is the west of the A9 Road; the township of Paalamudai,” stated Brigadier Nanayakkara.
He also said that the troops are currently operating in the areas east of the A9 Road; in the areas between the Tannimurukkulam Tank and the Nayaru Lagoon, targeting the LTTE cadres operating in the 14 base complex. “In fact, even on Monday, there was a confrontation between the forces and the LTTE and three LTTE cadres were found dead after the attacks,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the LTTE refuted claims that its aircraft had been shot down and claimed it had killed 20 soldiers in its simultaneous attacks in Vavuniya last morning. The Tigers also admitted to losing 10 of its Black Tigers in the raid.
In Parliament today, opposition MPs capitalised on the Vavuniya attacks, saying that it cast doubts on the Government’s claims of rapid military advances into Wanni.
“The Air Force base and the Police HQ of Vavuniya was attacked using heavy artillery. Radar defence system is completely destroyed. This happened in an area that government has always claimed has been liberated a long time ago, and cleared of any LTTE activity,” claimed UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne.
The fact that the LTTE used heavy artillery shows that they still have a presence in the East. If that was not the case, then can this intense fighting take place? the UNP MP asked.
“In the last PC elections, the state media claimed that the fall of Kilinochchi was near and the military is close to capturing the town,” he said. “But it was only on September 4th, that they captured Mallavi town. We ask the government not to mislead people,” he said. ‘In the last two years, over 1800 soldiers were killed while 9901 were injured,” he added. According to the UNP MP, more than 5000 have lost their limbs, making it impossible for them to work in the military.
He also added that the government is embezzling vast quantities of money reserved for military operations. “They bought F 27 and 29 planes to destroy the LTTE planes. But we all know how much the ministers pocketed from these funds. The LTTE Aircrafts are still air borne,’ he said.
In parliament yesterday, the United National Party also claimed that 14 military personnel were killed and 29 were wounded while the radar system at the Vavuniya Air Force base had been destroyed by yesterday’s LTTE attack.
“Also, several policemen were killed during the attack,” said UNP MP Range Bandara. “Two Indian nationals who were working as radar operators were also injured during the attack,’ he added.
The UNP MP claimed that in the recent attack on Anuradhapura UNP candidate, Dr. John Pulle, the police used tear gas canisters that did not go off. “That was because they were duds, so I wonder whether the government is providing the military with the same quality equipment,’ Bandara added.
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