Army Lose 3 Men, Fiber-glass Boat

LTTE Sea Tigers disguised as fishermen ambushed an Army fiber-glass boat manned by three Army personnel killing all three on Saturday (13th) morning. By the time reinforcements arrived, Sea Tigers had managed to salvage the fiber-glass boat and the remains of the three soldiers along with their weapons. The Army then directed artillery strikes on the fleeing Sea Tiger boats. Monitored communication indicated three LTTE cadres were killed in the retaliation. The Sea Tiger boats that launched the attack have come disguised as fishing boats from Pooneryn, south of Jaffna, several days in advance and mingled with fishing boats in the area and at a small fishing village in Gurunagar.

The Sri Lanka Army operates small patrol boats along the Jaffna-Kyts coast. The Army's small fiber-glass boats equipped with outboard engines can carry around three men and a small quantity of arms and ammunition. They are in no way similar to the 17-foot Inshore Patrol Craft/Vessels operated by the Navy in more deeper coastal waters.

Meanwhile several Special Task Force personnel were killed in Ampara recently in an ambush by LTTE. A small LTTE group commanded by Ampara District LTTE Leader Ram are still operating in the area. The Special Task Force is tasked with engaging this unit.

Meanwhile the LTTE's clandestine radio unit announced that the Leader of its Research Wing (a 'Lieutenant Colonel' in rank) had been killed in the recent air strike on an LTTE safe-house at Vishwamadu. The deceased was called an 'LTTE Scientist'. The building, which was targeted in the air strike had been used as a 'Research Lab' and factory to develop new Claymore Mines, Jhonny Mines etc and was frequently visited by top ranking LTTE leaders.