More than 100 bunkers captured
The army on Saturday reached the western edge of the Nayaru lagoon in Welioya and overran another key LTTE base north of Andankulam with more than one hundred bunkers after a fierce battle, in the south of Mullaitivu in the North-eastern region, the military said.
“‘Jeevan Base’, as it was called, that came under army control on Saturday evening had been used by the LTTE as a large underground training facility,” military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said adding that “on the side of the training base, located about 1.5 km southwest of the western edge of the Nayaru lagoon, troops found a graveyard in with 67 tombs of LTTE cadres.”
He said four buildings with an area of about 1250 square metres, one hundred underground bunkers, thirty five lavatories, two concrete bunkers of 15 x 15 feet, two wheelbarrows, forty empty barrels, and a heap of slippers were found inside the base which consisted part of their 14-Base Complex in the Welioya area.
According to the spokesman the LTTE bunkers were constructed with thick concrete to sustain heavy artillery fire and aerial bombardments.
“Four prison rooms, probably used by the LTTE as torture cells to punish and detain those who disobeyed the senior cadres, were also seen built at the premises,” he said.
However, there were no comments from the LTTE on the latest military claim.
Earlier troops captured several main bases belonging to the 14-base complex such as Munagam, Sugandan and Michael Base after fierce battles.
Meanwhile, Security forces continued multi-pronged offensives in the Wanni battle theatre claimed lives of 19 LTTE cadres while injuring 13 others.
According to the military, the LTTE suffered heavy casualties during fighting at the consolidated defence lines at the Vavuniya- Mullaitivu front at Mallavi, Thunukkai, Palamoddai and Manniyankulam.
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