Tiger ‘habitat’ dwindles as military gains ground

In 2008 LTTE will complete 25 years of terrorism, but will they complete their anniversary?

Mind you the Sri Lanka Armed Forces are battling with the most dangerous and ruthless Terrorist Organization in the world.

Although undeclared, ‘Eelam War IV’ is already being waged between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE, the only difference is that there has not a formal announcement from either side. A question many civilians now raise in their minds is what is the role of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)?

Is their Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) functioning? Absolutely not. In 2005, the LTTE tried to assassinate Sri Lanka’s army commander. Since then, the war is continuing. In 2007, the army was able to liberate the east. At the same time, the army opened three fronts in Vavuniya and Jaffna. The army is marching towards North Vavuniya and North Mannar, while attacking the LTTE FDLs in Jaffna.

When one analyses the history of the war from 1994 to 2001, the major army victory was the capture of Jaffna . A retired military officer said that although Jaffna was captured, there is no supply route. Before the operation, most of the senior army officers pointed this out to Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte. Ratwatte never listened to his officers.
After the capture of Jaffna only, did Ratwatte become concerned with the Main Supply Root (MSR) for Jaffna. The infamous operation Jayasikuru (operation Victory) was to clear the road from Vavuniya to Jaffna via Elephant Pass.

There were many debacles. Brigades were wiped out and ships sunk, while the LTTE attacked aircraft with missiles.

Why all these debacles? Because a Volunteer Lt. Col. (rtd) was politically promoted. As a Lt. Col., Ratwatte commanded qualified Generals. Some of them obeyed his orders, eyeing betterment and perks, but some talented officers left the army.

During that time, the war with the LTTE was purely on a political agenda and to mislead the public.

During the UNP regime, the opposition leader signed a CFA with the LTTE. The main reason the LTTE agreed for peace was because Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) team infiltrated LTTE territory and killed Prabhakaran’s close confidant and LTTE air wing architect Shanker. The LRRP also targeted the late Thamilselvam. He narrowly escaped, while his guards died. Prabhakaran was surprised by the above attacks, he evaluated his position and concluded that the military intelligence was very efficient.

Prabhakaran sent peace envoys for peace talks and at the same time he unloaded arms and explosives. He also identified intelligence officers and informants and killed them one by one. Among the killed were Intelligence Lt. Col. Mutthalif, a brilliant officer who served his country and sacrificed his life during peace talks. There were many other intelligence officers (Military and Police) who left the country for their safety.

Around the Trincomalee Navy base there were 24 LTTE camps. They posed a threat to the Navy base. The LTTE’s intention was to attack the Naval base and paralyse the sea supply route. They failed in this and they lost the entire East.

In the 25-year long Eelam War, this is the first time the LTTE lost both the North and East. They are now confined only to Kilinochchi and Mulathivu.

Although they are confined to the Wanni, we shouldn’t underestimate the enemy. They conducted a devastating attack on the Anuradhapura Air Base, their Air wing bombed on four occasions, and they conducted four unsuccessful suicide attacks (see the box story for 25 years of suicide attacks) as well as three civilian targets, Kebethigollewa, Kohuwela and Padaviya, with claymore and bomb attacks.

“If politicians don’t interfere with the armed forces, the commanders will defeat the LTTE. Military plans are known only to Commanders, not Politicians. The way the war is being conducted, the army can defeat or weaken the LTTE military” a retired Army Commander, who did not wish to be identified, said.

The Tiger den is tensed because on December 31, 2007, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fighter jets bombed an LTTE training base in Mulathivu.
The target was identified as a training base which both recruits and conducts refresher training for LTTE cadres. The SLAF says that the target was accurately hit. Around 6:10 am on December 27, SLAF supersonic MiG-27 and KFir combat fighters made air raids on an LTTE Imran Pandian base, one of the main LTTE military units at Vellamullavaikkal, North of Mulaithivu.

SLAF fighter pilots successfully destroyed the LTTE base during the precision aerial sorties, SLAF sources said. According to sources, the aerial raid was launched following ground surveillance and real time air reconnaissance information. The LTTE had constructed a mock up of a Sri Lanka Army base and were conducting mock attacks on the base, ground intelligence confirmed. Air bombardment was successful and large numbers of LTTE cadres died, while many were wounded.

Sources from Kilinonochi said that LTTE Intelligence chief Pottu Amman was highly disturbed by the accurate air bombardment.

According to instructions of LTTE intelligence chief, intelligence cadres have been trying to find out how Tiger den locations leaked to Sri Lanka Military.

LTTE operations are well kept secrets at the moment and they are trying their utmost to secure their secrecy. Their leaders are continuously changing their location. The most important messages within the organization are passed by hand over short distance. For long distance messages they use E-mail. They are equipped with satellite modems and laptops. When the LTTE was defeated in Thoppigala, the army recovered laptops. These laptops and modems were brought to Sri Lanka during the cease-fire period.

Some INGOs have been asked to vacate from Kilinonochi and Mulathivu by the LTTE, because they suspect INGOs pass on information to Sri Lanka Military. Some INGOs continue their work in above areas.
The LTTE is forcibly recruiting males and their training is for a month.
Although the LTTE has appointed a police chief, at the moment there aren’t any police or judiciary functioning, because 70% of police cadres have been allocated to the military.

When SLAF jets are airborne, there are elements in Katunayake who inform the LTTE by satellite phones. A senior SLAF official said that they were aware of this and implement different strategies and tactics, which I won’t mention in this column for security reasons.

When Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka assumed duties as army commander, he clearly mentioned that he would revamp military intelligence, and he did it.

In Jaffna, Batticaloa and Vavuniya, the Directorate of Military Intelligence has been able to cultivate valuable informants. As a result of good intelligence, in Batticaloa and Jaffna, troops are able to recover mines and weapons.

The Defense Ministry published the latest situation in Vavuniya and Mannar

Fighting continues in North; 25 terrorists killed in yesterday’s clashes
Troops maintained pressure on terrorists’ defences in Jaffna and Wanni yesterday (December 30) forcing them to pullback further into the non liberated areas, defence sources said. According to reports from the battlefront, 25 terrorists were killed and several LTTE bunkers destroyed in yesterday’s clashes.

In the Wanni theatre, troops attacked terrorist positions both on the Vavuniya and Mannar fronts, killing at least 25 LTTE cadres, while two soldiers were killed and four injured in the same clashes.

At Navatkulama on the Vavuniya front, troops engaged terrorists’ observation posts around 4.15 last evening. Ground troops confirmed that one terrorist was killed in the incident.

At Pokkaravani, on the same front, troops exchanged mortar and artillery fire with terrorists’ bunkers around 4:30 pm. Ground sources confirmed that at least four terrorists were killed in the incident. Meanwhile, one soldier was killed when terrorists responded with artillery fire.

Separately, at Umayaratuvarankulam, four more terrorists were killed when troops attacked an LTTE bunker around 4:10 pm. Troops did not suffer casualties in this incident.

Besides, troops conducting clearing operations in the Vilathikulama and Palamoddai areas, uncovered 66 anti personnel mines, two claymore mines and three anti tank mines.

On the Mannar front, heavy clashes erupted between army and LTTE as the terrorists fired mortars at troops deployed in the Parapakandal area around 1:00 pm. yesterday (December 30). An army officer was killed and four others injured in the incident. Troops responding to the attack, moved ahead of their defences and attacked a group of LTTE cadres, killing at least five around 6:30 pm. Elsewhere, in the Parapakandal area, troops overran an LTTE bunker around 7:00 the same evening. Ground troops claimed that at least 10 terrorists were killed in the incident.

Finally, in Jaffna, ground troops in the Kilaly FDL gunned down an LTTE cadre around 12:40, last afternoon.

Sucide Bombers of LTTE as its celebrates silver jubilee

1987
July 5: The LTTE carries out its first suicide bombing at the Nelliady army camp killing 40 security force (SF) personnel.

1990
July 12: Six SF personnel are killed when four male LTTE suicide cadres in an explosives-laden boat attack a Naval vessel in Trincomalee.

November 23: Three soldiers die as two suicide cadres attack Manakulam Army Camp in an explosives laden car.

1991
March 2: Deputy Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne and 18 others are killed by an LTTE suicide bomber at Havelock Road in the national capital Colombo.

March 19: Five soldiers killed in a LTTE suicide attack on the Army camp in Silavathurai.

May 5: Two ‘Sea Tigers’ in an explosive-laden boat, attack a Naval vessel in Trincomalee, killing five SF personnel.

May 11: At Kankesanthurai, three Navy personnel killed in an attack by three male ‘Sea Tigers’.

May 21: Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and 18 others killed by a female suicide bomber in the town of Sriperumbudur, approximately 30 miles from Chennai, capital of the southern State of Tamil Nadu.

June 21: At least 21 people are killed and more than 175 injured, as a suicide cadre drives an explosives laden truck into the Joint Operations Command Office at Flower Road, Colombo 7.

1992
November 16: Navy Commander, Vice Admiral W.W.E.C. Fernando and four Navy personnel killed by a motorcycle suicide bomber at Galle Face, Colombo 1.

1993
May 1: A suicide bomber, later identified as Babu, kills President Ranasinghe Premadasa and 23 others during a May Day rally at Armour Street Junction, Colombo.

1994
October 24: Leader of the Opposition and United National Party candidate for the Presidential Elections, Gamini Dissanayake, and 58 persons are killed by a female suicide bomber at Thotalanga (Grandpass) Junction, Colombo 14.

1995
April 19: A suicide squad attacks two naval vessels in Trincomalee killing 12 soldiers.

August 7: A male suicide cadre sets off a cartload of explosives at Independence Square in Colombo, killing 22 people and injuring more than 40 others.

October 17: Nine Navy personnel killed and a vessel damaged when a male suicide bomber targets the naval facility in Trincomalee.

November 3: A suicide unit infiltrates an oil storage depot in Colombo, destroys 14 storage tanks—causing US$ 61 million in damage, while killing 23 soldiers and two civilians.

November 11: A female suicide bomber exploded herself near the Slave Island Railway Station, Colombo 2, killing 15 children, a policeman and a soldier.

November 24: Two women suicide bombers kill at least 16 people and wound 52 others near Army headquarters.

December 5: Three male suicide cadres drive an explosives laden truck at the police camp in Batticaloa, killing at least 23 police personnel.

December 11: 14 civilians and three SF personnel are killed, while 59 are injured when two LTTE suicide bombers blow themselves up in an attack on Army Headquarters, Colombo.

December 30: An Army officer and a civilian are wounded when an LTTE suicide bomber blew himself up at Kalladi in the Batticaloa district.

1996
January 31: A suicide cadre detonates a truck loaded with more than 100 kilograms of explosives in front of the Central Bank, Colombo, killing 91 people and wounding at least 1,400 others.

April 1: At least 10 SF personnel killed when two suicide cadres detonate an explosives laden boat at Vettilaikerni.

April 18: Sea Tigers launch a suicide attack on Colombo Port. Nine LTTE cadres are killed when the troops blew up their boats.

July 4: At least 20 people, including Jaffna commander Brig. Ananda Hamangoda, are killed and about 60 others injured by a female suicide bomber, as a minister’s motorcade stopped on Stanley Road in Jaffna town. Housing and Construction Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, escaped with minor injuries.

October 25: Two suicide cadres detonate an explosives laden boat, killing 12 Naval personnel in Trincomalee.

November 25: A suicide bomber attacks a police vehicle in Trincomalee town, critically wounding a police driver.

December 17: A Deputy Police Commander is killed when an explosives laden motorcycle is blown up by a male suicide cadre at a police unit in Amparai.

1997
March 5: Four LTTE suicide cadres are killed on an attack on the Air Force base in Trincomalee while four Air Force personnel sustain injuries.

March 23: (Mulativu) 2 explosive laden boats completely destroyed by the Sri Lankan Navy.

October 15: Suicide cadres detonate an explosives packed truck in the parking lot at Galadari Hotel in Colombo, killing 18 persons and injuring at least 110 others.

October 19: During an attack on a naval gunboat on the north eastern coast, two sailors are killed and two LTTE boats sunk.

November 14: Colombo’s Kelanitissa Power Plant is attacked by suicide bombers.

December 28: Three suicide cadres died when their explosives laden truck explodes half a mile from the Magalle naval base in Galle, where Navy Commander Cecil Tissera was staying. Ten shops and two houses were damaged.

1998
January 25: Suicide bombers attack the Temple of the Tooth Relic at Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, killing 16 persons, while causing extensive damage to its buildings.

February 6: A female suicide bomber detonates her explosives when she fails to penetrate the SLAF roadblock near the Rio Cinema at Slave Island. Six soldiers and two civilians are killed in the incident.

February 23: Suicide cadres in eight explosives laden boats attack two naval vessels off the Point Pedro coast, killing at least 51 troops and 28 civilians.

March 5: Thirty-six civilians and two police personnel are killed while 270 civilians sustain injuries when a mini-bus filled with explosives, is blown up by a suicide cadre near Maradana Police Station.

May 14: Brig. Larry Wijeyaratne is killed in Jaffna by a female suicide bomber.

September 11: Mayor of Jaffna, Ponnuyhurai Sivapalan, and 11 persons killed while 12 others are wounded by a suicide bomber at the Municipal Council building in Jaffna.

1999
March 18: A female suicide bomber kills two persons near a police station in Colombo. The target was Head of the Terrorism Investigation Unit CI Mohammed Nilabdeen. Nilabdeen and eight civilians were injured.

April 11: Two persons killed and more than 20 others injured when a suspected LTTE suicide bomber blew himself up in a passenger bus in Kandy.

May 29: A cycle borne teenaged suicide bomber kills Muthulingam Ganeshkumar alias Razeek, leader of an anti-LTTE vigilante group called the “Razeek Group” on the Trincomalee road in Batticaloa. Along with Razeek, his bodyguard Chandran Jeyakumar, two civilians and the suicide bomber were killed and eight others were wounded.

July 25: A woman suicide bomber attacks a ship docked at Trincomalee harbor, hours before it was to take on passengers, killing herself and a civilian.

July 29: Tamil United Liberation Front Member of Parliament, Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam and two others are killed by a suicide bomber at the Kynsey Road-Rosmead Place junction.

August 4: Nine police commandos and one civilian are killed when a woman suicide bomber attacks a police truck in Vavuniya. Eighteen commandos aboard the truck were injured.

August 9: In the first suicide bombing within an army camp, a male suicide bomber enters the Vakarai camp on the pretext of collecting weekly food relief and detonates a bomb strapped to his body, killing Maj. T.G.J.B. Karunanayake, the second in command of an infantry battalion. Another officer, Maj. J.H. Karunadasa and three soldiers are wounded in the attack.

December 18: In a failed attempt by a female suicide bomber on President Chandrika Kumaratunga at an election meeting at the Town Hall, 21 persons are killed and over 100 others injured. The President, however, is injured in one eye due to shrapnel. Among those killed were four police personnel, including Colombo’s DIG T.N. De Silva. At least three senior ministers and some foreign journalists, including a Japanese television crew, were among the injured.

December 18: Skandaraja Ashoka, a suicide bomber, detonates a bomb strapped to his body killing retired Maj. Gen. Lakshman Algama and 11 persons at a UNP election rally in Ja-Ela.

2000
January 5: A female suicide bomber explodes herself while being body-searched by Police in front of the Prime Minister’s Office at Flower Road, killing 13 civilians, three police officers and injuring 27 people.

March 2: Col. Piyal Abeysekara is targeted by a female suicide bomber at Inner Harbour Road, Trincomalee. While the Colonel survives the assassination attempt, his driver is killed.

March 10: At least 14 civilians and six police personnel are killed and 46 people sustain injuries when a group of five suicide cadres attack a motorcade on a highway leading to the Ceremonial Drive of Parliament.

June 5: ‘Sea Tigers’ sink a naval gunboat off the Vadamarachchi coast in Jaffna, killing 34 naval personnel.

June 7: A suicide bomber kills the Minister of Industrial Development, C.V. Gooneratne, and 24 civilians whilst leading a procession to mark ‘War Heroes Day’, at Golumadama Junction, Ratmalana.

June 14: Two civilians are killed and 11 injured at Gemunu Palace Cinema Junction, Wattala, in an abortive attempt by a person on a bicycle fitted with an explosive device, targeting a Sri Lanka Air Force bus.

June 26: MV Uhana, carrying private cargo to Point Pedro from Trincomalee, is attacked by LTTE suicide boats and the vessel sunk. Of the 28-member crew on board the ship, 23 were rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy, while five were reported missing. Three Naval ratings also died in the incident.

August 16: A child is killed and five persons, including three army officials, injured in an attack near an army vehicle outside the Vavuniya Town Hall.

September 15: Seven people are killed and 28 others injured when a suicide bomber, on being detected, blew himself up in front of the National hospital. Health Minister Nimala Sripala de Silva narrowly escaped, as he had passed through the site barely seven minutes before the blast.

October 3: National Unity Alliance Trincomalee District candidate M.L. Baithullah, a candidate for the October 10-parliamentary elections, and 20 persons, including four police personnel, are killed and about 49 persons wounded when a suicide bomber attacked an election rally in Muttur town.

October 5: At least 12 persons are killed and over 40 injured when a LTTE suicide bomber blew himself up in an attempt to enter a People’s Alliance election meeting at the Medawachchiya bus stand, which was being addressed by Deputy Minister, Health and Indigenous Medicine, Tissa Karaliyadda.

October 19: Three civilians are killed and 21 persons, including three Americans, are injured in a suicide bomb attack near the Colombo Town Hall.

2001
July 24: A group of at least 20 suicide cadres wearing military uniforms and armed with shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons, mortars, T-56 rifles and RPGs, attack the Katunayake Air Force base and the Bandaranaike International Airport. Eight military aircraft, including Kifr jets, two Mi-17 helicopters, one MiG-27 fighter, three Chinese K-8 trainer aircraft and six Airbus passenger aircraft are destroyed in the attack. Bodies of 13 LTTE cadres were found subsequently, including two of those who had blasted themselves. Six soldiers and an airport engineer were killed. A journalist of the State-run television Rupavahini, who was the only journalist allowed into the airport during the incident, was wounded in the crossfire.

October 29: Two police personnel and two civilians are killed while 14 are injured when a male suicide bomber blew himself up in close proximity to a meeting of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake at Narahenpita.

October 30: Three soldiers and four of the bombers, including two women, are killed in a suicide boat attack on an oil tanker, MV Silk Pride, off the port of Point Pedro.

November 15: Three Army intelligence personnel and a civilian are killed, while eight are injured in a suicide bomb attack at a high security zone in Batticaloa town.

2004
July 7: A woman suicide bomber, Thiyagaraja Jeyarani, detonated the explosives strapped around her waist at the Kollupitiya police station next to the Prime Minister’s official residence, killing herself and four police personnel while injuring nine persons. She was reportedly on a mission to assassinate Cabinet Minister Douglas Devananda.

2006
January 7: Fifteen Naval personnel are killed in a suspected suicide attack by the LTTE on a gunboat outside Trincomalee harbor.

February 11: One of four suspected LTTE Sea Tigers aboard a speeding trawler, blew himself up in mid-sea off Talaimannar after being intercepted by Naval personnel, killing four Sea Tigers on board and injuring a Naval personnel, who succumbed to his injuries later.

March 25: Six LTTE cadres and eight sailors were killed in a suspected suicide attack by the outfit, when a boat carrying LTTE cadres, heading north exploded near a naval craft in the Kalpititya area of Puttalam district.

April 25: Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka is critically injured while at least eight persons are killed when a female suicide bomber, disguised as a pregnant woman, blew herself up in front of the military hospital inside the Army headquarters. 27 persons were injured in the explosion.

June 26: A suicide bomber kills the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Parami Kulathunge and three others at Pannipitiya. Eight persons are wounded in the explosion. Contd.on page 12

August 14: At least seven persons, including four soldiers, are killed and 17 others injured in a suicide attack targeting Pakistani High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohammad. The envoy, returning from the Pakistan Independence Day function at the mission, escaped unhurt, though his vehicle suffered minor damage.

September 1-2: Twelve LTTE boats are sunk and 80 cadres killed in a sea battle off the Jaffna peninsula in a retaliatory action as 20 LTTE boats, including five explosives laden suicide boats had attacked a patrol near the Kankesanturai harbour. Two Naval boats are slightly damaged and two sailors wounded.

October 16: At least 98 sailors are killed and 100 injured as suspected LTTE cadres rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a naval convoy at Digampatana in the Habarana area.

October 18: Suspected LTTE cadres launch a suicide attack on Dakshina Naval Base, Galle. Troops successfully repulse the attack, killing 15 LTTE cadres, while one sailor also died in the incident. Another 15 sailors and 14 civilians were injured in the clashes.

November 9: The SLN personnel foil a major LTTE attack on the civilian passenger vessel ‘Green Ocean I’ with 300 Jaffna bound civilians from Trincomalee, in the sea off Nagarkovil, destroying a flotilla of Sea Tiger boats, including three suicide boats. “We believe more than 40 LTTE cadres were killed in the attack,” said Navy spokesman Commander D.K.P. Dasanayaka, adding, two suicide boats rammed into two Dvora fast attack craft escorting ‘Green Ocean I’, destroying one and damaging the other. However, LTTE military spokesman, Irasiah Ilanthirayan claimed that a Sea Tiger flotilla clashed with the Navy, killing 25 sailors, capturing four alive and destroying two Dvora fast attack crafts, when Sea Tigers engaged in training activities, were provoked by Naval vessels.

November 10: The Navy destroyed one weapon laden LTTE suicide craft and captured another off the Nilaveli coast, while in the guise of ordinary fishing boats. At least six Sea Tigers were killed, according to the Navy. Sources confirmed that one of the boats was also carrying the remains of Ariv Charles, a senior military leader attached to the Charles Anthony Brigade of the outfit, who was killed in a security forces’ retaliatory fire in the Batticaloa district a few days back. Reports also said that a LTTE cadre aboard the captured boat committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule, when he was taken into custody by naval troops.

December 1: A suicide attack by the LTTE targeting Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, at Dharmapala Mawatha, injured seven army personnel and seven civilians. Two of the injured army personnel subsequently succumbed to their injuries. The suicide bomber rammed his three-wheeler into the Defence Secretary’s convoy. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, en route to the Presidential Palace for an official meeting, escaped unhurt. The headless body of an unidentified person, believed to be the suicide bomber, was recovered from the incident site. At least eight vehicles, including that of the Defence Secretary, were damaged in the attack.

2007
March 16: Soldiers shot dead an LTTE suicide bomber attempting to blow up a soldier on duty in the Annakottai area of Jaffna district.

March 24: A suicide bomber was killed along with the soldier who tried to search him near a Hindu temple at a military checkpoint in Jaffna.

March 27: The LTTE launched a suicide attack on the Army main Army base at Chenkalady. Three members of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), Carthic, Chandru and Vicky, a 12-year-old boy Navarathnam and two soldiers were killed in the explosion. Five civilians, two soldiers and two policemen were injured. According to reports, soldiers on duty at a road barrier in front of the Chenkalady army camp spotted the unusual movement of a tractor around the camp premises and alerted the main road barrier as the tractor laden with explosives, was fast heading towards the main entrance of the camp. The tractor with two suicide cadres crashed into the barrier, but the troops immediately opened fire on the tractor. Subsequently, the LTTE cadres blew themselves up causing a huge explosion.

May 24: A suspected LTTE suicide cadre on an explosive laden motorcycle rammed a bus carrying army personnel in Colombo at around 9:00 am, the military said. Two soldiers were killed and five others injured in the attack.

October 22: Special Forces (SF) confronted LTTE cadres who carried out a suicide attack on the SLAF base at Anuradhapura and evicted them from the premises killing 20 militants. Nine SF personnel, including two officers, were killed and 20 others wounded in the clash. Subsequently, the LTTE carried out an aerial attack dropping two shells damaging two MI 24 helicopters parked in the hangar. Another BELL-212 helicopter had to crash-land at Doramadalawa area, closer to Mihintale, due to a technical defect, killing both pilots and two gunners. This was the first time the outfit had carried out a combined air and ground attack.

November 28: EPDP Leader and Minister for Social Welfare, Douglas Devananda, escaped unhurt when a polio affected LTTE female suicide bomber blew herself up at his office at Isipathana Road, Narahenpita. While the Minister was in his office waiting to meet members of the public, the woman was allowed entry into the office complex unchecked, considering her disability. But the Minister’s PRO conducted checks and the bomber blew herself up when the PRO checked her. The blast critically injured the PRO, one Ministerial aide and one officer of Ministerial Security Division, who succumbed to his injuries later.