SLAF Bell-212s’ close call with Tiger SAMs

 On March 25, the LTTE has reportedly fired surface-to-air-missiles (SAM) at two Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) Bell-212 helicopters, engaged in casualty evacuation operations in the general area of Puthukudiyirippu, at around 11 a.m. According to SLAF Spokesman Wing Cmdr. Janaka Nanayakkara, the pilots managed to take the injured personnel to safety, utilising their evasive air manoeuvers, thus evading the missile attack. The LTTE has fired these missiles from the Government declared NFZ, the spokesman said, citing SLAF pilots and technical sources. This column revealed on January 9, 2008 that the LTTE possessed missiles purchased from Cambodia.

SLAF precision bombing

SLAF UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) had monitored a LTTE T-55 battle tank in action north of Puthukudiyirippu. Immediately, the SLAF operations had scrambled fighter jets within minutes. The fighter jet precision bombed the T55 battle tank, destroying it completely.

Navy strikes

The Sri Lanka Navy too destroyed four Sea Tiger boats, killing 26 Sea Tiger cadres off the seas of Chalai and Mullaithivu, around midnight on Sunday (29) and dawn of Monday (30). Units of the Navy’s elite Boat Squadrons, the SBS and the RABS, based at Chilawatte and Chundikulam, intercepted and engaged two clusters of Sea Tiger boats, with heavy gunfire on two separate occasions. Three Sea Tiger boats were destroyed.
Monitoring of LTTE transmissions revealed that several LTTE leaders including Maran had been killed. One sailor died and three Naval personnel, including an officer, were injured in the incident.