The Air Force bombed the LTTE headquarters in Kilinochchi yesterday, causing significant damage to the building, according to reports from both the military and the LTTE. The army website termed the latest air raid an indelible milestone in the Wanni war, as the headquarters were once the nerve centre from which top LTTE leaders operated.
The Defence Ministry quoted Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara as saying fighter jets from Katunayake had carried out the air strike on the Tiger headquarters located 2 km northeast of Kilinochchi town.
The bombing was based on ground intelligence that a meeting of senior LTTE cadres was underway at the location, the Defence Ministry said.
“The LTTE has maintained the targeted camp complex as its main military coordinating centre. The targeted camp is situated at Paravipanjan in Kilinochchi. The target was accurately engaged. However, the exact damage caused to the terrorists has not been verified yet,” it said.
The Defence Ministry said the recent string of air strikes on LTTE nerve centers located in the heart of Kilinochchi would soon create a huge problem for the LTTE in maintaining the outfit under a centralised command and control mechanism. It was not clear, however, if any LTTE leaders or top cadres were killed in the raid.
The LTTE, meanwhile, claimed two civilians had been killed, and another five injured, while they were walking along nearby road during the raid on the Tiger headquarters. “The Sri Lankan Air force targeted the LTTE Peace Secretariat and the Political Head Office in Kilinochchi. In this attack several houses situated in close proximity to these offices were also badly damaged,” the LTTE claimed on its website..
The Media Center for National Security (MCNS) said the air strike would further consolidate the position of the security forces while further weakening the LTTE.
Military Spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara, meanwhile, told the media yesterday, that forward elements of 57 division troops were consolidating their defences an area 3.5 km south of Kilinochchi.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing at the MCNS, he said that some elements of the 57 division had already crossed the Nachchikudha--Therumurukandi road at some locations in the Akkarayankulam area. Troops had been able to cut off the road that connects the northwestern coast and the Jaffna--Kandy (A-9) road at these locations, he said.
Kilinochchi is considered to be one of the longest townships in the island. It extends for about 6.5 km along the A-9 road. According to the latest battlefield reports, infantrymen of the 4th Sinha Regiment were operating in an area just 3.5 km south of the southern border of the Kilinochchi built-up area, the military said.
Commenting on the western half of the Kilinochchi battlefront, the military spokesman revealed that troops of Army Task Force 1 were operating in the Vannerikulam, Kariyalamodai and Manniyakkulam areas at present. According to him, troops had bypassed the Nachchikudha area and were tactically surrounding the strategically vital Sea Tiger stronghold from the west.
On the Mullaittivu battlefront, where troops of Army 59 division were operating, the military spokesman said troops dominated about 80% of the Thannipurippu tank bund. He said that troops moving parallel to the coast had reached the southern and western regions of Nayaru lagoon.
Source
The Defence Ministry quoted Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara as saying fighter jets from Katunayake had carried out the air strike on the Tiger headquarters located 2 km northeast of Kilinochchi town.
The bombing was based on ground intelligence that a meeting of senior LTTE cadres was underway at the location, the Defence Ministry said.
“The LTTE has maintained the targeted camp complex as its main military coordinating centre. The targeted camp is situated at Paravipanjan in Kilinochchi. The target was accurately engaged. However, the exact damage caused to the terrorists has not been verified yet,” it said.
The Defence Ministry said the recent string of air strikes on LTTE nerve centers located in the heart of Kilinochchi would soon create a huge problem for the LTTE in maintaining the outfit under a centralised command and control mechanism. It was not clear, however, if any LTTE leaders or top cadres were killed in the raid.
The LTTE, meanwhile, claimed two civilians had been killed, and another five injured, while they were walking along nearby road during the raid on the Tiger headquarters. “The Sri Lankan Air force targeted the LTTE Peace Secretariat and the Political Head Office in Kilinochchi. In this attack several houses situated in close proximity to these offices were also badly damaged,” the LTTE claimed on its website..
The Media Center for National Security (MCNS) said the air strike would further consolidate the position of the security forces while further weakening the LTTE.
Military Spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara, meanwhile, told the media yesterday, that forward elements of 57 division troops were consolidating their defences an area 3.5 km south of Kilinochchi.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing at the MCNS, he said that some elements of the 57 division had already crossed the Nachchikudha--Therumurukandi road at some locations in the Akkarayankulam area. Troops had been able to cut off the road that connects the northwestern coast and the Jaffna--Kandy (A-9) road at these locations, he said.
Kilinochchi is considered to be one of the longest townships in the island. It extends for about 6.5 km along the A-9 road. According to the latest battlefield reports, infantrymen of the 4th Sinha Regiment were operating in an area just 3.5 km south of the southern border of the Kilinochchi built-up area, the military said.
Commenting on the western half of the Kilinochchi battlefront, the military spokesman revealed that troops of Army Task Force 1 were operating in the Vannerikulam, Kariyalamodai and Manniyakkulam areas at present. According to him, troops had bypassed the Nachchikudha area and were tactically surrounding the strategically vital Sea Tiger stronghold from the west.
On the Mullaittivu battlefront, where troops of Army 59 division were operating, the military spokesman said troops dominated about 80% of the Thannipurippu tank bund. He said that troops moving parallel to the coast had reached the southern and western regions of Nayaru lagoon.
Source
Comments