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| Sri Lanka |
| Sri Lanka claims smashing 'final' Tiger defences |
| 2008-10-20 |
| Troops and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka on Sunday after government forces smashed through the "last major defences" of the guerrillas capturing 14 Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers, the military said. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched "poisonous gas attacks" to blunt the military offensive aimed at capturing the rebels' political capital of Kilinochchi, the defence ministry said in a statement. Soldiers stepped up their offensive on Saturday and captured a two-kilometer stretch of the defence line set up by the Tigers near Kilinochchi, the ministry said. It said the fighting was at Akkarayankulam, about 13 kilometers southwest of Kilinochchi. "Army's 57 division troops yesterday pierced the LTTE-built earth bund in Akkarayankulam, the terrorists' last major defence south of Kilinochchi," the defence ministry said in a statement. Military sources said that the Tigers had used a type of tear gas commonly used during riot control. "However, troops withstood the chemical attack and beat off the terrorists," the ministry said. It gave no details of casualties for both sides, but added: "Several soldiers made their ultimate sacrifice for the nation while many others suffered injuries during this battle." In separate statement, the ministry said soldiers along two other fronts in the north of the island had also stepped up attacks against Tamil Tiger positions over the weekend. Soldiers had encircled a sea base of the Tamil Tigers along the northwest coast while troops on the other side of the island in northeastern Mullaitivu had also stepped up attacks, the ministry said. "Troops also suffered casualties during those confrontations and were being evacuated for treatment," the statement said. Government soldiers fell victim to booby-trapped devices, anti-personnel mines and mortar fire, the ministry said. "Battlefield sources confirmed that the terrorists suffered significant attrition in terms of men and material," the ministry said. Military officials said both sides continued to trade gunfire and long-range attacks throughout the weekend, but monsoon rains had left heavy weapons ineffective. Neither side could also use trenches for cover as most were flooded with rain water. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 WORLD AFFAIRS BOARD > TAMIL NADU MPS: STOP TAMIL/LANKAN WAR OR WE'LL ALL QUIT. Gives CENTRE GOVT. TWO WEEKS ULTIMATUM TO END WAR or will resign en masse??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-10-20 23:38 |
| #3 Stuck in the mud? heh |
| Posted by: Last Breath Farm Resident 2008-10-20 19:09 |
| #2 the credit card scams won't stop as l;ong as they are making money too line their own pocket |
| Posted by: chris 2008-10-20 08:01 |
| #1 How soon until the Tamils abroad stop running credit card scams and such, now that Tigers will no longer need funding? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-10-20 06:20 |