Sri Lanka news columns

Air Force downs LTTE light aircraft: Ranil Wijayapala COLOMBO: Security Forces yesterday foiled a major attack targeting the radar system installed at the Air Force Base in Vavuniya bringing down one of the light aircraft of the LTTE on its way back to Mullaitivu and killing 10 Tiger cadres who tried to infiltrate the Air Force base from the ground, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said yesterday. Addressing a special press briefing at the Media Centre for National Security, Brigadier Nanayakkara said the LTTE launched this attack whilst firing barrages of artillery into the Army, Air Force and Police Head quarters complex in Vavuniya at 2.50 a.m. As artillery rounds fell into the Military and Police complex from 2.50 a.m., the LTTE simultaneously attempted to infiltrate into the SLAF Air Base where sophisticated radar systems are located. “The Special Forces and Air Force ground troops foiled the Tiger cadres’ attempt to...

by Norman Palihawadana The Iranamadu camp, where the two LTTE aircraft had returned after attacking Trincomalee Navy base on Tuesday night, was bombed immediately by the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Rohan Guntilake told The Island yesterday. The Navy radar had detected the Tiger aircraft flying towards Trincomalee at a distance of 45 Km. on Tuesday. The Tigers dropped two bombs, of which only one exploded killing four Navy personnel and injuring 14. A section of the Navy base was damaged and two boats were destroyed. Once the Navy base alerted the SLAF, a number of fighter jets were dispatched from the Katunayake air base but the terrorist aircraft had returned to the rebel controlled area by that time. Although Tuesday’s air attack was the sixth by the LTTE on vital targets the SLAF had not been able to pursue and destroy the two light planes operated by the terrorists. Source