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All
eyes on Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu
Defeat
stares at Tigers after fall of strategic areas
Tomorrow,
the world’s most ruthless terrorist leader Velupillai
Prabhakaran, gives his annual speech on the first day of the
week that he has declared as the “Maveerars’ Week”
or the ‘Heroes Week.’ Although for the LTTE it is
a ‘Heroes Week’, for the peace loving Sri Lankans
and for people of all nationalities, it is a’ Barbarians’
week.’ This is because at any moment, and at any time,
a suicide bombing mission could be expected in the city or
its suburbs, thus putting security in and around Colombo on
high alert.
Already, three suspected LTTE suicide cadres have been arrested
in Colombo and the suburbs, and are being interrogated by
the Police.
Information has been forthcoming from reliable sources from
Mulaithivu, that this year V. Prabhakaran’s Heroes Day
speech has been drafted by a person in the legal profession
in the United States of America, and sent via e-mail to the
Tiger chief. It is reliably understood that Prabhakaran has
had a conversation by satellite phone with this so called
US legal expert, and had discussed how the speech should be
drafted. The so-called international Tamil Diaspora personality,
is said to have focussed his speech on portraying the Sri
Lanka Army as committing genocide on Tamils civilians, and
blaming the international community for not intervening in
the conflict. He is also said to have requested Prabhakaran
to mention in his speech that though the LTTE had agreed to
declare a ceasefire with the Sri Lankan Government, President
Mahinda Rajapaksa had imposed a condition that the Tigers
should lay down arms first.
Prabhakaran is to also to indicate in his speech that the
LTTE will not lay down arms, as he cannot trust the Sinhalese
Government. He will also blame the Sri Lanka Government for
delaying to bring about a political solution to the on-going
conflict. In his speech, he is also expected to mention loud
and clear that the Government Forces cannot defeat the LTTE,
and will appeal to the Tamil Diaspora to continue their support
to the LTTE
Those are some of the contents that are to be included in
the LTTE leader’s Heroes Day speech, but they can be
changed at any moment. The objectives behind the contents
of this speech are manifold. To list a few;
To attract the sympathy of more Tamil Nadu politicians, so
that they in turn will exert pressure on the Indian Central
Government.
To exert pressure on the donor co-chairs -- the USA, the UK,
Japan and Norway -- to force the Sri Lankan Government to
stop the military advance on the remaining Tiger held areas.
To boost morale among the LTTE cadres and the Tamil Diaspora.
The present situation on the battle ground is at a crucial
juncture. After Army troops attacked Sornam’s bullet-proof
vehicle at Mankulam, Sornam and his body guards were wounded
and are at the moment being treated at the LTTE hospital in
Mulathivu Pudukuiruppu. The LTTE leader’s movements have
been extremely restricted. His Maveerar Day speech is most
unlikely to go live on air. According to available intelligence,
all preparations have been made in a bunker at an undisclosed
destination in Mullaitivu for Prabhakaran to light the ceremonial
lamp commemorating the LTTE’s fallen heroes.
The LTTE does have in its possession sophisticated hi-tech
satellite link-up facilities. The outfit is sure to use one
of these terminals to up-link Prabhakaran’s speech. At
the same time they are to distribute copies of the speech
to pro-LTTE websites too.
Army will make entryat any moment
The Sri Lankan Armed Forces are well trained to fight under
any trying conditions and any sort of weather conditions,
said a very senior military officer. At the moment, the inclement
weather conditions have made things difficult along the A
32 road, with fierce fighting reported in the Kilinochchi-Paranthan
areas, with the B 69 road being flooded and extremely muddy
in some areas. Sometimes advancing soldiers get their feet
bogged down in above-ankle deep mud.
Braving the mud and the weather conditions, the Sri Lanka
Army’s 58 division commanded by Brigadier Shavendra Silva,
has already captured or re-taken the entire western coastal
area, with the most important and strategic area being Pooneryn.
It is to be noted that Pooneryn has been taken possession
of by Government Forces after 15 years, with several previous
attempts having been unsuccessful. The Pooneryn A 32 main
road links the Jaffna peninsula with the mainland through
the Sangupiddy jetty and the Karaitivu jetty, with the ferry
service distance being a mere one or two kilometres. This
route is another link that links the people from the north
with those in the south of the island.
Right now, the Army’s 58th Division is divided into two
sections. One section is presently near the 5th mile post
along the B 69 road. Interestingly, the LTTE has already built
a massive earth bund to prevent the forces from advancing
on to Paranthan junction, which is only six kilometers from
the Army’s present position. Because of the close proximity
of these six kilometres the LTTE put up fierce resistance
against the security forces last Saturday and Sunday. The
Tiger leadership knows very well, that if they do not put
up heavy resistance the Army will definitely wrest control
of Paranthan junction, thus automatically cutting off the
LTTE’s main supply route towards Jaffna. So, losing Paranthan,
Muhamalai and such areas will be a severe blow to the Tiger
outfit, further demoralising the already demoralised Tiger
cadres for whom the already captured Pooneryn area has dealt
a severe blow.
The other Brigade from the 58 Division and another from the
57th Division are engaged in battle, west of Kilinochchi in
the Adampan area. Simultaneously from the south another Brigade
is advancing towards Kilinochchi. Army Task Force 1 launched
a predawn offensive targeting LTTE defence in the North of
Admapan area. Infantrymen of 17 Gamunu Watch (17 GW), 12 Gajaba
Regiment (12 GR), and 8 Sinha Regiment (8 SR) have been able
to capture LTTE strongholds on the earth bund at three locations,
after crushing stiff resistance. Troops are now consolidating
their positions same time
Meanwhile, troops of the 59th Division operating on the Mullaitivu
battlefront also continued their forward dominations into
the LTTE held areas, and the Army’s 57th Division troops
are now fighting the terrorists in the vicinity of the LTTE
held earth bund in the Admapan area.
According to the sources, LTTE defence in the area is fast
falling apart. Troops of 12 SR, and 9 GR are engaged in the
battle. Troops of the 8 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (8 SLLI),
and 10 SLLI are now advancing towards the A-9 road in the
area North of Kokavil. The latest reports from the front reveal
that troops are fighting in close proximity to the LTTE held
earth bund built across the A-9 road in the Therumurikandi
area.
According to reliable information, Tiger leader Bhanu has
selected around 200 cadres and trained them to mount a fresh
attack on the advancing troops. These were the cadres from
the ‘Imran-Pandian Brigade’ who battled fiercely
with the Security Forces’ 57 and 58 Division troops on
Saturday and Sunday. Since they were well trained by Bhanu
and from the crème of the terrorist organisation, 27
soldiers sacrificed their lives and 70 were wounded in the
ensuing battles. Of the 70 wounded, 35 were of a minor nature.
Meanwhile, the deadly accuracy of the Sri Lanka Army’s
multi barrel rocket launchers, which can fire 40 rockets within
20 seconds and has a range of 27 kilometres has had a telling
effect on the Tigers, with 110 being killed among whom there
were LTTE leaders too. One of them is senior terrorist leader
called Stanley, who was killed during Sunday’s battle.
The outfit has given its self-styled “Lieutenant Colonel”
rank to the slain terrorist chief. 80 others have been injured,
according to information intercepted from LTTE radio transmissions.
Right now, as troops are advancing to Kilinochchi town, intelligence
suggests that there are no civilians left in the town areas,
except for the remaining Tiger cadres.
Captured
Since clashes began in these areas, the Security forces have
captured around 1.2 kilometres of the earth bund built by
the Tigers on the A 9 main road at Therumurukandi area in
the Kilinochchi district. This was accomplished against heavy
rocket and artillery fire from the LTTE, and the Government
troops moving amidst muddy ground, sometimes the mud reaching
above their boot top level.
Fall imminent
With the military moving from three fronts, the fall of the
Kilinochchi town is imminent. When the Security Forces capture
Kilinochchi, it will be another major disaster for the LTTE
and LTTE leaders and the remaining cadres will be then confined
to Mulathivu .
The 59th Division commanded By Brigadier N Udawatthe is also
advancing troops from Welioya to Mullathivu.
Heartland
After the fall of the Tigers’ self-proclaimed ‘Administrative
Capital’ Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General
Sarath Fonseka will not hesitate to utilise all his available
troop strength towards one final thrust on Mullaitivu, the
so-called heartland of the Tigers.
The Task Force 3 is right now advancing further from Mankulam.
But when it advances towards Puthukudiiruppu and Olumadu areas
it will encounter heavy forest areas. According to a senior
military officer, the troops are expected to negotiate around
these areas in their move towards Mullaitivu. And this is
possibly where the Sri Lanka Air Force will have a major role
to play in supporting the ground troops.
Right now, the inclement weather conditions are causes for
worry for the fighting Government troops, but soldiers morale
is very high and their determination too is very high as their
only hope is to eliminate terrorism in this country, said
by one of senior Military officers from battle front. He added
that weather conditions are a major set back to LTTE as well.
Civilians flee
During the month of November, 252 civilians have escaped from
the clutches of the LTTE terror and entered government controlled
areas through the Omanthai entry/exit point. Those who arrive
have told the troops and Police that there are more civilians
attempting to flee Tiger controlled areas, and are eagerly
awaiting the arrival of the Armed Forces. They also have said
that the LTTE was keeping them by force, under threat was
forcing them to the battle front once they accomplish basic
Military training. Hence, those who had arrived into Government
controlled areas had done so at grave risk to their lives.
Troops say that they expect more civilians to cross over very
soon as the fighting escalates.
Task Force 3 commanded by Brigadier Satypriya Liyanage was
able to reach Wanni on November 25 by reaching Olumadu area,
in Mullaittivu district.
Olumadu is located 4Km northeast of Mankulam along the Mankulam
- Mullaittivu (A-34) main road.
Following fierce fighting, which lasted for a few days, troops
of Task Force 3 were able to reach the Olumadu area and commenced
forward domination’s.
Search operations conducted so far have uncovered a terror
body and troops are engaged in further consolidating their
positions.
Year’s
extension to Army Commander
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed forces, has granted another year’s extension
to Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka. At the
same time, eight Majors General are scheduled to retire by
next year. They are:
1.Maj Gen U.B.L. Fernando who is due to retire on 05. 02.
2009
2. N. Wijesinghe, due to retire on 28.02.2009
3.G.A. Chandrasiri (Tri Forces Commander – Jaffna) –
due to retire on 06.01.2009
5. V.R. Silva Div Commander due to retire on 27.08.2009
6.S.G. Karunaratne(Commander – Anuradhapura) due to retire
on 23.05.2009
6. S.P. Aluvihare due to retire on 17.12.2009
7. S.A.G. Sumithraarachchi due to retire on02.07.2009
8. L.M. Samaraweera due to retire on 27.02.2009
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