Stage set for final showdown

Security forces (SF) have now cornered the remaining LTTE cadres, including its terror chief, into a mere 4.5 sq. km. land south of Rektavaikkal and advancing in three frontal ground manoeurres to rescue civilian hostages held at gunpoint, military sources said. 
The ‘No Fire Zone’ (NFZ)
“We can overrun and eliminate Prabhakaran and the rest of his cadres, and bring the NFZ under our control within a couple of hours,” says Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka. “But unfortunately, we cannot do this, due to the presence of civilians. We do not wish to harm them. Therefore, I have instructed my troops not to use any heavy weapons, but to adopt tactical measures instead. We do not get any air support as well, because of the civilians, the Army Chief told The Bottom Line. “Even at this moment, my troops are continuously engaging the terrorists, and are not giving them any respite or rest. I will liberate this country from terrorism”, he added.

LTTE leaders killed in encounters with SF in 2009

Darkness, the attackers’ companion
Eight soldiers of the 7 Sinha Regiment (SR) under Lt. Col. Kithsiri Liyanage are briefed by their commander. The 7SR comes under 582 Brigade commanded by Col. Sanjaya Wanigasinghe which is under 58 Division led by Brig. Shavendra Silva. It was a dark night, an attacker’s greatest ally. The soldiers sneaked beyond their current defences and stayed the whole night within enemy territory. The area is heavily patrolled by LTTE cadres. But the Tiger cadres fail to detect the presence of these soldiers, who have undergone Special Infantry Operations Team (SIOT) training.
This 8-man team stayed patiently, while relaying valuable information from beyond enemy lines.
Meanwhile, the rest of the troops attempted to breach yet another earth bund put up by the terrorists. A section was already breached, when an alert soldier heard an heavy vehicle approaching directly at the breached section of the bund. The approaching vehicle was equipped with a 30mm paddle gun. It opened fire at the troops continuously. The soldiers fired two Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) at the vehicle, disabling its gun.

Suicide attacks repulsed
Last week, when the 58 Division was attempting to breach an earth bund, during their advance on Valaignarmadam, the LTTE attempted to counter them by mounting seven suicide attacks. A lorry laden with explosives tried to ram the defences, two similar motorcycles too attempted the same, while three suicide cadres tried to force themselves into the defences. Each of these attempts was thwarted by the alert troops of the 58 Division. The individual suicide cadres and lorry were gunned down by snipers and soldiers armed with RPG.
Following this, troops advanced towards Karanmullivaikkal, amidst heavy LTTE resistance. By Sunday (3), troops were able to consolidate their positions in this area. This was after 6 Gemunu Watch (GW) under Lt. Col. Kamal Pinnawela, 7SR and 10 Gajaba Regiment (GR) under Maj. Janaka Udovita, pushed along the front edge of the Nanthikadal Lagoon and rear edge of the bund. 9 Vijayaba Regiment (VR) under Lt. Col. Sisira Herath, belonging to 53 Division, breached the earth bund across the Puthumathalan-Mullaitivu A-35 road and consolidated their positions. Thereafter, 58 Division and 53 Division under Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunarathne, linked up.
The battleground where the current operations are being conducted, is open terrain, with scant cover of any kind. This terrain makes the troops easy targets for the terrorist snipers. To minimise casualties among the troops, around 70% of the operations are carried out in the night. It is also cooler than in the daytime under a scorching sun.
After every 200 metres advanced by the troops, another set of soldiers de-mines and defuse booby traps set by the retreating Tigers. The process is slow but steady.
The main purpose of the Tigers’ earth bunds is twofold; to delay the advance of the troops and at the same time to prevent civilians under their custody as human shields, from escaping towards military controlled areas.
Foreign interference keeps rising
Meanwhile, foreign interference orchestrated by the LTTE, keeps piling up against the Government. V. Prabhakaran being trapped in the NFZ is the main reason. Therefore, the Tamil Diaspora sympathetic towards the LTTE, wants the Tiger leader safeguarded. They influence the respective governments of their host countries to engineer a ceasefire between the Tigers and the Sri Lankan Government. They have also been able to influence a certain section of the international media.
Government rejects foreign delegates’ ceasefire call
The Tamil Diaspora has reached a certain stature in most Western countries to be able to influence its respective governments. One such result is the hurried visit of the Foreign Ministers of France and the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka last week. They attempted to urge the Government to go in for a ceasefire with the LTTE.
But a firm Government and especially, its Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, stood firm and clearly explained to these visiting dignitaries the plight of the civilians under LTTE captivity and of the LTTE hostilities for the past three decades. The Defence Secretary had firmly stated that there will be no ceasefire at this juncture, if the LTTE refuses to lay down arms and surrender unconditionally.
 The Defence Secretary has reportedly said no to the visiting UK Foreign Minister David Miliband’s insistence to a pause in military operations. This may have prompted Miliband to later comment that the West was not prepared to save Prabhakaran, but that, they were only concerned with the plight of the civilians caught up in the conflict.
Prabhakaran in long discussion with KP
Meanwhile, Prabhakaran is reported to have had a lengthy conversation via satellite phone, with terrorist top-runger Kumar Pathmanathan alias KP. Prabhakaran had requested KP to contact Rudrakumar in the USA and try their utmost to lobby for international pressure to save him. He had also told KP that, until such intervention, the LTTE would hold the civilians under its control as hostages.
Prabakaran has already violated international Law
According to a legal expert in international Law, the holding of civilians as hostage is a serious offence. He further added that in the event that Prabhakaran is captured alive, he could be produced before the Internal Court of Justice for crimes committed against humanity. The recruitment of child soldiers, violation of human rights and the holding of civilian hostages as human shields could be cited against him, the legal expert said.
Most are of the opinion that, instead of the USA, UK, European Union and the UN urging for a ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers, they should exert pressure on Prabhakaran to release the civilians under his custody, as he has already violated international law
Tamil Terrorist’s false propaganda and Prabhakaran’s movements
Prabhakaran has instructed his cadres not to wear the LTTE uniform, and also, to engage the civilians under their custody to build earth bunds and trenches. When these cadres are killed by the SF, the LTTE videos and photographs these bodies as those civilians killed by the military and posts them via satellite links to the foreign media and websites. This propaganda is published by the international media, to whitewash the world’s most ruthless terrorist organisation  
Prabhakaran still in NFZ
Meanwhile, intelligence reports have indicated that Prabhakaran is still within the NFZ, surrounded by around 150 bodyguards. He moves from place to place in three vehicles within the zone during the nights, when LTTE cadres do not permit entry of any civilians on Prabhakaran’s designated route.
SLAF’s spy-in-the-sky, while SLN engages LTTE suicide boats
The Sri Lanka Air Force’s (SLAF) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) continuously monitoring LTTE movements, is the greatest asset in this ‘Eelam War IV’. These UAVs recently spotted more than 60 boats concealed inside huts within the NFZ. On May 1, around 12:30 a.m., the UAVs detected four boats setting out to sea. The Sri Lanka Navy’s (SLN) SBS and RBS engaged these boats around 1:10 a.m. and destroyed one of the LTTE suicide boats around 1:20 a.m. Another was destroyed around 1:50 a.m. The other two Tiger boats were compelled to withdraw towards land.
LTTE destroys SLN boat from NFZ
On May 4, around 5:30 a.m., off the coast of Vellamullivaikkal, the LTTE had opened fire at the SLN’s water jet vessels, while taking cover behind the wreck of the ship Farah III, destroyed by the Tigers sometime ago. In this incident, one Officer and three sailors were reported MIA. Five were injured and were rescued, while another two were rescued later.
Snags in Naval blockade?
According to recent Indian media reports, refugees from Sri Lanka had arrived on the Tamil Nadu coast on May 1. The two boats had set sail from the NFZ on May 23, said the Indian coastguard, quoting one of the refugees. These refugees told the media that there were two other boats. During their journey from the NFZ, eight had died. The remaining 10 were rescued by the Indian Coastguards. Indian officials stated that the dinghy type of boat the refugees had travelled in, had 9 HP engines fixed to it.
When this columnist contacted SLN spokesman Commander Mahesh Karunaratne and inquired as to how these refugees had gone to India by boat from the NFZ, despite the naval blockade, his answer was, “Our Naval blockade is very efficient, with the SBS, RBS, Dvoras etc forming three rings.”
However, if Indian media reports are correct, then, these boats appeared to have managed to slip through the naval blockade.
 Meanwhile, it’s only a matter of time before the civilian hostages held by the LTTE as human shields, will be rescued by the SF.