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Use it or lose it time for Tamil Tigers: multiple SAMs fired at helicopters
The Tamil Tigers on Wednesday fired surface-to-air-missiles (SAM) at two Sri Lankan Air Force helicopters over the northern battle zone but the choppers narrowly escaped the attack, military authorities here said. "Two Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters, engaged in assisting evacuation of army casualties in Puthukkudiyiruppu had a miraculous escape this morning (Wednesday) at 11.00 a.m. when the Tigers inside the 'No Fire Zone' fired anti-aircraft missiles on them," the military said on Wednesday. "Both helicopters carrying injured soldiers, however, continued their mission despite the barrage of LTTE missiles," the military said in a report, adding that the choppers with injured soldiers aboard arrived at their destinations as planned. Huh. Must have been using them wrong. That, or they got corroded in the jungle. The defence ministry quoting Air Force spokesman, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, said that the pilots of the Bell-212 choppers "managed to take the injured personnel to safety from the risk imposed with evasive air manoeuvers (by) evading the missile attack". And a quick change of trousers. "LTTE terrorists have fired the missiles from the government declared No Fire Zone," the air force spokesman said, citing pilots and technical sources. Posted by: gromky 2009-03-25 |
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