Sri Lanka says 145 killed in northern fighting

[lkdood]

Sri Lanka says 145 killed in northern fighting

Some 120 Tamil Tiger rebels and 25 government soldiers are dead following fierce clashes in Sri Lanka's embattled north.
The Sri Lankan military said 10 soldiers are missing following the fighting on Tuesday.

Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said fighting broke out in two villages on the northern Jaffna peninsula and areas surrounding the insurgents' de facto capital of Kilinochchi.

Rebel officials could not be contacted for comment.

AP (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gVoaDFmbCYS-Usz9ACDRIengj21QD953Q0IO0)


At least 25 government soldiers and 120 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in heavy fighting in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, a military spokesman said.

Security forces carried out simultaneous attacks against Tamil Tiger defences near their northern political capital of Kilinochchi and on the Jaffna peninsula, spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

He said a further 162 government soldiers and an estimated 250 rebels were also wounded in Tuesday's heavy fighting along several Tamil Tiger defence lines.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet.com website, however, said at least 40 government soldiers were killed and another 120 wounded in the Jaffna peninsula alone.
It said the fighting went on for nine hours, but did not give rebel casualties.
The figures point to some of the fiercest fighting in the north of the island, where government troops are battling to dismantle the rebels' mini-state, for several months.

AFP (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5irRsHWQtlBF1G0OAxHfGAcF9GDjA)

[lkdood]

army.lk

http://www.army.lk/editor/images/2008-08/Kilali_444.jpg


MULTI-PRONGED and intense attacks of the troops and subsequent heavy confrontations that erupted since Tuesday (16) morning hours in the northern KILALY and MUHAMALE in the JAFFNA peninsula Forward Defence Line (FDL) areas and elsewhere in the KILINOCHCHI sector were able to destroy many Tigers and their assets and a part of the infamous LTTE earth-bund in the KILINOCHCHI sector from many different places. All those simultaneous assaults brought death and destruction to the enemy. During all those clashes in the north and KILINOCHCHI, at least 120 LTTE terrorists were confirmed dead and another 250 Tigers wounded, battle ground troops, monitoring LTTE technical sources said.

Twenty-five valiant soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army paid the supreme sacrifice for the sake of their beloved motherland. Ten more brave soldiers have reportedly gone missing while fighting the enemy face to face. A total of 160 fearless soldiers suffered injuries and were evacuated to hospitals in ANURADHAPURA

Pre-dawn attacks and offensives started almost around the same hours on Tuesday (16) as the weather turned favorable to the fighting troops. Task Force-I troops, operating in the PARANTHAN west on PARANTHAN-POONERYN road and the 57 Division troops storming from the western area of the IRANAMADU tank ensured breaching of a 5-km long stretch of the LTTE’s defensive earth bund from many different points amidst fierce offensives.

In addition, CHORIKENKULAM village area, about 7 km to the west of the A-9 Highway was also brought under the troops as fighting escalated, pushing Tigers further into jungle areas as the dusk fell on Tuesday (16).
In the meantime, 53 Division troops in the JAFFNA peninsula commenced their offensives in the wee hours on Tuesday (16) after storming Tiger positions on their existing defences in KILALY and MUHAMALE areas. The surprise attack on the enemy led them to resist fiercely. Intense and pitched battles caused heavy damages on the LTTE.

However, the troops tactically came back to their original positions at the end of face to face fighting. As of now, LTTE terrorists are holding on to their one and only defence line in KILALY and MUHAMALE areas after the troops recently dismantled their second defence lines and dominated those defences a few weeks ago.

As this report was filed around 6.00 p.m. on Tuesday (16), troops have once again started their march while another section of the troops were busy consolidating their newly-regained positions. So far troops in the IRANAMADU south have collected two dead LTTE terrorists, two radio sets, one Multi Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG), one T-56 weapon and several more LTTE items.


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[lkdood]

http://defence.lk/img/20081216_08_Kilinochchi.jpg

defence.lk (http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20081216_08)

At least 120 LTTE terrorists were killed and over 250 reported injured during intense battles ensued between troops and LTTE, West of Paranthan, Admapan and Iranamadu at the Kilinochchi battlefront, Tuesday (Dec 16). According to latest military reports, the Task Force 1 and 57 Division troops have also gained control over a 5 km stretch of the LTTE built earth bund cum ditch, west of Paranthan and Kilinochchi. Troops are now consolidating defences in the area, military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said speaking to defence.lk.

Heavy fighting broke out at the outskirts of Kilinochchi and Northern FDLs since early this morning (Dec 16) as military offensive divisions commenced mounting artillery and heavy mortar attacks at identified terror locations, shifting the Wanni battle phase into a decisive stage, military sources said.
Meanwhile, LTTE heavy gun locations and terrorist concentration positions were targeted in the attacks, as military said that terrorists manning defences south of A-9 at Kilaly FDL were left in total disarray. According to military reports, 25 soldiers have laid their lives, 10 reported missing and 160 others injured during the days fighting.

Separately, 57 Division troops have entered the Chorikenkulam vilage located 7km West of the A-9 main road, military sources further said. Troops have also uncovered 2 LTTE bodies along with 2 radio communication sets, a multi-purpose machine gun (MPMG) and a T-56 assault riffle while consolidating positions South of Iranamadu this evening.