Sri Lanka news columns

By Shamindra Ferdinando Army Chief Lt. General Sarath Fonseka yesterday said that troops on the Vanni front overran an LTTE airstrip north of Vannivilankulam about seven kilometers north-west of Mankulam. He told The Island the advance was made on Monday as the LTTE retreated before 57 Division. Situated about 500 metres west of the A9 road, the airstrip was 500 metres long and about 50 metres wide. The troops were making steady progress on the multiple Vanni fronts, he said. SLAF spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told The Island that this particular airstrip had been bombed a few times but not recently. The SLAF is primarily focussing on LTTE facilities on the eastern part of the Vanni although quite a number of targets had been taken west of the A9 in support of the 57 Division and Task Force I and Task Force II. The Army Chief said that his troops were operating in the Kokkuvil area and were in the process of consolidating their positions. He said that the 59 Division on t...

The army, yesterday, captured one of the airstrips built by the LTTE in Panikkankulam, west of the A-9 highway, in the Mullaitivu district. “Troops of the 57th division have captured the LTTE runway, which is 500 metres long and 50 metres wide, in the Panikkankulam area,” an army spokesman said. The troops, dominating north of Vannivilankulam, located the LTTE airstrip last afternoon, about seven km north-west of Mankulam after the area was brought under their control. “The capture of this 500 metre long airstrip struck a major blow to their escalating terrorist acts. However, it is believed the airstrip was not used by the LTTE to land any aircraft. It may have been prepared for emergency use,” the spokesman said. It is reported that the LTTE has at least three airstrips -- Iranamadu, Pudukuduirrippu (Mullayaweli) and Panikkankulam – and they are known to have in their possession at least four Czech-built Zlin-143 aircraft. (SJ) Source