Fierce Fighting. More on the way

32 LTTE cadres were killed in fierce fighting in Mannar north (general area Adampan) and Vavuniya on the 11th and 12th of this month. Further fierce fighting occurred in the Jaffna FDL resulting in the death of an estimated 10 LTTE cadres. One LTTE mortar launching pad was destroyed in Mannar. The majority of the LTTE killed in Mannar are from the Charles Anthony Brigade. The Army lost 3 men from the 58 Division.

Intelligence sources reveal that an average of 4 dead corpses of LTTE cadres is returned to relatives in Mullaithivu alone. LTTE's 'Colonels' Jeyam and Bhanu who are assigned to stop Army's limited offensives are facing severe logistical and administrative problems due to fighting opening up in a number of fronts in Mannar and Vavuniya. Commando and Special Forces Brigades of the Army operating in Mannar and Vavuniya respectively are ambushing vehicle convoys of essential supplies to LTTE front lines. Continued aerial surveillance and bombing of new camps erected by LTTE is another cause for concern for the organization as they have to keep moving camps regularly. Jeyam , born and bred in Mannar is under mounting pressure to hold ground after losing both Vaharai and Thoppigala previously under his command.

Meanwhile a considerably large number of Sea Tigers are undergoing special training in Chalai and Pooneryn in anticipation of an amphibious assault by the Sri Lanka Navy. Naval Intelligence sources have also warned of possible preemptive strikes by the Sea Tigers following the aerial bombing and complete annihilation of 12 8 meter-long fiberglass boats at Murukandi near Kilinochchi recently.

The boat building technology was first acquired on behalf of the Tigers by 'Colonel' Shankar alias Vaithiyalingam Sornalingam who was a qualified Marine as well as Aeronautical Engineer. A particularly brilliant personality, Shankar first obtained his marine engineering skills at the Hindustani Institute of Engineering Technology at Chennai. He was also qualified as an Aeronautical Technician. He subsequently worked as Engineer for several shipping-lines in the United Kingdom, Switzerland etc. before moving to Canada where he worked for Air Canada. Sornalingam was killed by the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol on 26th September 2001 at Oddusudan.