According to the military spokesman, a massive search operation was underway throughout the Yala National Park to capture the rebel cadres involved in the attacks. “These cadres had come to the Yala area a few months ago unable to stand heavy attacks by the military in Ampara and Thoppigala,” he said.

A massive military search operation was launched in Yala sanctuary for the LTTE cadres who carried out Monday night’s surprise attack on an army detachment and killed six soldiers and injured three others. The park remained closed temporarily.

Meanwhile a military tractor on its way to pick up the bodies of the six soldiers killed in Thalgasmankada on Monday was caught in a pressure mine explosion and one soldier was killed and three others injured, the military said.

“The tractor was proceeding towards the Thalgasmankada area to bring back the bodies when it was hit by a powerful LTTE pressure mine close to the area where the first attack took place,” Military Spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara told the Daily Mirror. The Thalgasmankada detachment was located some 30 to 40 kilometres east of Kataragama.The injured personnel, including the three who were injured on Monday, were rushed to Matara Hospital yesterday and the bodies of the seven dead soldiers sent to Hambantota hospital.

According to the military spokesman, a massive search operation was underway throughout the Yala National Park to capture the rebel cadres involved in the attacks. “These cadres had come to the Yala area a few months ago unable to stand heavy attacks by the military in Ampara and Thoppigala,” he said.

Brigadier Nanayakkara also claimed security in the nearby villages had been strengthened with additional troops dispatched to the area.

Meanwhile the LTTE said they had overrun the army detachment on Monday and claimed it had been under their control for almost three hours during which time they had seized arms and ammunition from the camp.

According to the Tamil Net website, the rebels had set the camp ablaze after completing their mission, it added that the raid had coincided with the one month commemoration of three lieutenants colonel who had been killed in action.

The LTTE also claimed it had recovered four T-81 automatic rifles, one T-56-Mark 2 rifle, one T-56 -Mark 1 rifle, 2 shortwave communication sets, four military kit-bags, five bulletproof jackets, seventeen T-81 magazines, three T-56 magazines and five-hundred 7.62 mm rounds.

Earlier Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka said that although a Wild Life Department vehicle also came under LTTE attack on Monday, there were no injuries to any Wild Life Department officials. He said security had been strengthened in the sanctuary and it would be reopened for visitors as soon as the army provides a security guarantee.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed