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High death toll in Kilinochchi battle

COLOMBO: Many soldiers and LTTE cadre were killed on Monday as the Sri Lankan military tried to gain control over Kilinochchi.

The Army and the LTTE gave conflicting casualty figures. There are no independent observers to verify their claims.

While the military claimed 104 LTTE cadre and 27 soldiers were killed, the Tigers said 43 soldiers were killed and 70 of its cadre were injured.

A Defence Ministry statement said heavy clashes are continuing along Kilinochchi’s outskirts as the Army overruns the remaining LTTE defences.

It said the Army’s 57 Division (57 Div) and Task Force-1 (TF-1) had laid siege to Kilinochchi built-up area on Sunday along three frontiers. “The TF-1 infantrymen were able to breach the LTTE-held earth-bund around the Kilinochchi built-up from the north of Adampan area at three locations,” it said.

Forward units deployed in Adampan and Puthumurippu Kulam came under an LTTE counter-attack on Sunday and the attack was repulsed, it added.

The Ministry said 27 soldiers were killed and 70 injured. “Also, a few other soldiers have not been able to join with their units so far,” it said.

Quoting intercepted radio transmissions of the Tigers, the Ministry said the LTTE suffered heavy casualties in its unsuccessful counter-attack. “Over 120 LTTE cadre have been killed and 80 others injured in the Kilinochchi area since Sunday morning,” it said.

Soldiers of 57 Div in Therumurikandi captured a 1.2-km-stretch that runs across A-9 Road and the Tigers are fast withdrawing from their defences.

“Defence intelligence reveals that LTTE has marshalled its final reserves to the battlefront to save their symbolically-important stronghold — Kilincochchi. All senior terrorist leaders have been heard over the radio, commanding their cadre to die for the safety of the terror supremo V. Prabakaran,” said the Ministry.

Pro-LTTE TamilNet website claimed at least 43 soldiers were killed and more than 70 wounded in the latest fighting that broke out at Nalloor, on the Poonakari-Paranthan Road.

“The main battlefront was between Uruththirapuram and Kugnchupparanthan. A pitched battle was fought near the Siva temple at Uruththirapuram.

More than 35 soldiers were killed in a previous fighting in Mu’rika’ndi and A’riviyal Nakar area when Army units attempted to advance further into the territory towards the southern suburb of Kilinochchi on Friday and Saturday,” it claimed.

Separately, the military said the onslaught on Wanni continues and civilians continue to flee LTTE-occupied territories.

It said seven civilians arrived at the Omanthai roadblock on Monday.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), an ultra-nationalist party, on Monday announced the formal expulsion of 10 of its parliamentarians for breaking party discipline.

In April, a section of the JVP led by the former Propaganda Secretary, Wimal Weerawansa, revolted against the party’s approach towards the government.

The JVP contested the previous general election in alliance with the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which is led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The JVP distanced itself from the alliance last year, citing differences on economic and political policies.

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