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Senior LTTE cadres fled Thoppigala, says navy

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: At least four airmen were injured on Sunday when a “weapon” fixed to an air force jet exploded at the main base in Katunayake, close to the international airport.

The Government implemented extra security measures in and around Katunayake after the first air strike by the Tigers in March. Following the second strike in April, the civilian airport was closed for night traffic temporarily. The ban was lifted on July 1.

The Defence Ministry said a “round used for 30 mm cannon of a K’fir jet accidentally exploded”. It said no aircraft was damaged.

The air force has been frequently using the K’fir jets to pound supposed Tamil Tiger targets in the north and east since escalation of hostilities in August last year. On Sunday, it undertook four air strikes in the west of Thoppigala, the last remaining pocket of influence of the Tigers.

Separately, the navy said it launched sea and land attacks against “fleeing LTTE terrorists” in Trincomalee North. It said the cadres were fleeing from Thoppigala to Wanni in the Thiriyaya, Kumburupiddiya and off Pulmudai sea areas.

It said the first confrontation occurred in the Kuchchiveli area when the terrorists targeted the intercepting marines. “The marines successfully overpowered the attack killing three LTTE cadres. Along with three bodies of the LTTE cadres, the marines found many weapons, explosive devices and medical equipment. It is suspected that a medical doctor worked for the terror outfit was also among the dead”.

The second confrontation took place in the Thiriyaya area when the navy ground units attacked another terror movement. The navy sea units also detected a cluster of LTTE boats moving southwards off Nayaru sea.

Navy spokesperson Commander D.K.P. Dassanayaka claimed that the sea units had successfully inflicted considerable damage to the terror boats. He said the security forces suspected that the LTTE had attempted to evacuate the group of terrorists stranded in the Kumburipiddi jungle to Wanni via sea route and many of the senior LTTE cadres were believed to have fled Thoppigala.

Giving the LTTE version, TamilNet reported that a three-hour sea-fight between the Sea Tigers and the army in the seas off Pulmoaddai after Fast Attack Crafts (FACs) attempted to intrude into the waters south of Mullaiththeevu.

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