Vishwamadu Attack Updates

Information relating to the Aerial Strike in Vishwamadu is trickling in at this moment. According to these sources we can confirm that LTTE Leader Velupillai Pripaharan has been targeted in the attack. Whether it was Pripaharan who was killed or his son Charles Anthony Seelan or Internal Intelligence Chief Pottu Amman is not confirmed as yet. What we can confirm right now is that a target was acquired by Air Force jets in the General Area of Vishwamadu following careful verification of ground and aerial intelligence.

The target, as said earlier, was the LTTE Leader Pripaharan. The Air Force and Army believe that the house targeted had either the LTTE leader or any of the two other leaders mentioned here. This is due to the post-attack reactions of the LTTE. It was observed that the LTTE had moved in its elite riding team (modeled after the Army's Rapid Deployment Force) and its Anti-Aircraft Unit immediately after the attack. The AA Unit has several heavy vehicles fixed with 12.7mm and 14.2mm canons. It is the usual practice of the LTTE to move such well-trained men and hardware in support of Pripaharan, more so than the other leaders.

The Sri Lanka Army's Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Unit was also lying in wait for Pripaharan in this area on the same day. Both LRRP and the Air Force Number 10 squadron have been trailing the LTTE leader for several months now.

The exact identity of the leader killed, if indeed he was present at the location, will be revealed through ground intelligence within the next few days. The LTTE usually cordons off the area hit and prevents civilians entering into government areas following such successful attacks for several days to avoid the information reaching the Military. As soon as such information is received, DefenceWire will be there to provide you more details.

Fighting in the North and Errenous Reporting

Fresh fighting broke-out ahead of Kilali, Nagarkovil and Mannar Forward Defence Lines (FDL) several days ago. The latest fighting occurred in Nagarkovil and Mannar. However, contrary to many media statements, the damages caused to either side is low. Actual facts seems to have given way to speculation and imagination as defence columnists of some credit seems to be misleading the public with stray reporting. Whether this is a deliberate ploy or simply a lack of credible sources of information from the 'usual suspects' of the Military who have now retired or are providing misleading information to serve a grudge with the present Army Commander is a question we are unable to answer. The practical realities of war, however, has traditionally escaped predictions of self-proclaimed experts.

The Sri Lanka Army has not suffered any severe casualties as these Defence Columnists have claimed. Small groups of officers and men from the 55th Division have been infiltrating the No-Man's Land ahead of the Nagarkovil FDL and into LTTE held areas and engaging LTTE lines with small arms and artillery support. Two LTTE points were destroyed in the attack. The same is happening in Mannar, Vavuniya and to a lesser extent in Weli Oya. The LTTE is yet to induct its seasoned fighters, and so too the Army. No Army unit has been ambushed or their weapons seized in Nagarkovil, as some pro-LTTE media has announced. Some of the pro-LTTE media had issued pictures of so-called captured military hardware.

Army casualties are closer to the official figures released. LTTE casualties are yet unclear. The Army is 'softening up' unseasoned cadres in the LTTE. The ground and Palmyra trees scorched in incessant artillery attacks can be seen ahead of the Nagarkovil and Kilali FDLs. This type of operation will continue if and until the LTTE changes its defensive posture.

The Army's objective is to challenge the enemy in its own territory. Many of the clashes were initiated by the Army, who is seeking a confrontation with the enemy for several reasons. They believe this will adversely affect the morale of new cadres deployed in the front. It will also enable them to kill a steady number of cadres in each confrontation, thus pushing the guerrillas into defensive mode. So far, the results have been positive for the Army.

The accuracy of the recent air raids in Vishwamadu too cannot be confirmed yet. It has been our experience, especially through observations made in Thoppigala that certain air raids have not been as accurate as we had imagined and had fallen in the general area of the target location. However, in Silavathurai we observed that a satellite station of the LTTE was hit with pin-point accuracy.