The Hindu : Front Page : LTTE’s sea base captured

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 16, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

LTTE’s sea base captured

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka military on Saturday announced the capture of Ponneryn, the last strategic sea base of the LTTE on the western coast of the Indian Ocean, after weeks of intense fighting.

Within hours of the announcement, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated his call to the LTTE to lay down arms and come to the negotiating table.

There was no word from the Tigers on the latest developments.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry characterised the fall of Ponneryn as the “greatest feat against terrorists by the forces in their courageous march” along the northwestern coast of the island.

With control over Ponneryn, the Sri Lanka military for the first time in two decades would have another land route to the Jaffna peninsula. The peninsula is at the moment accessible only through sea route after the military shut down the A 9 highway in August 2006 on grounds of security.

Gain of Ponneryn, a strategic land that runs parallel to the neck of the northern Jaffna Peninsula across a narrow lagoon, will enable the military to strike the LTTE administrative capital of Kilinochchi from three sides.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page