Sri Lankan jets pounded two Tamil Tiger bases in the island’s restive east on Saturday, the air force said, but the rebels denied any of their military installations were hit and said there were no casualties. Air force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha De Silva said fighter jets bombed Tiger bases in an area of jungle called Thoppigala in the eastern district of Batticaloa, where the government is seeking to stamp out the insurgents. “The air force fighter jets bombed two LTTE bases in Toppigala and the pilots confirmed the target was correctly taken,” De Silva said.
There was no independent confirmation of what the jets hit.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are fighting for an independent state in the island’s north and east, said their forces were locked in close-quarters skirmishes with troops in the area, but gave no further details. “They have not hit any of our installations. The bombs caused no casualties,” rebel military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan said by telephone from the de facto rebel capital at Kilinochchi in the far north.
The government said on Thursday it might scrap what is left of a “flawed” 2002 ceasefire pact with the rebels within weeks. Analysts say that could pave the way for fighting to escalate.