Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Falsifications Galore

Describing the killing of LTTE’s Military Intelligence Leader Charles, a prominent civilian defence columnist writing for an English Weekly has claimed that a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) of the Special Forces ‘shot him dead’ while he was assisting Sea Tiger Leader Soosei fortify Veduthalthivu base. We wish to announce to our readers that this report is completely inaccurate.

Charles was killed by a 15kg Claymore Mine (side charger) specially made for him by the LRRP. He was killed while traveling along the Mannar-Pooneryn road on Sunday January 5th. Two of his key lieutenants were also killed in the attack. Charles was the overall coordinator of all intelligence and strike teams operating in government controlled areas. He was traveling towards Mannar to plan another attack in government areas, not to beef-up security to Veduthalthivu.

LTTE Leader Pripaharan was a noted absentee in Charles’ funeral. He has been exercising extreme caution regarding his movements. Poddu Ammaan, the stealthiest among the LTTE, was present. Even other mid-level leaders like Banu and Jeyam have started using motorcycles when moving around LTTE areas. This all came after the shocking assassination of the highly secretive and intelligent operative, Charles, who was responsible for coordinating and personally directing attacks on key military bases and political and military leaders from Colombo, Batticaloa and Kilinochchi.

Meanwhile, Tiger Television NTT, followed by other web-based sites claimed that 30 SLA were killed in Parappakandal on Monday and that one body was captured. We wish to inform our readers that this report is also a complete fabrication. A senior military official regading this report, told DefenceWire that the Tigers are fabricating these reports ‘while on the run’.

The Sri Lanka Army is now in close proximity to the sacred Madhu Shrine. SLA has no immediate desire to capture the Church. Task Force I under Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya has deployed offensive formations to strike specific locations in enemy territory. Troops numbering 1000-1500 are deployed in several formations with a specific objective to achieve for each formation. These operations maximize the use of SLA’s resources while creating a split in the LTTE’s defensive formations by stretching them beyond capacity.

36 comments:

Illegal.existence said...

Nice update guys.

So is Athas incorrect when he said a senior army official had announced that they would capture the Madhu Shrine within 2 weeks?

Defencewire said...

ie,
Cannot confirm the maneuvers just yet.

onecountry said...

defencewire:

But, it appears that tigers are giving a very strong resistance with their thinly stretched army. Only way to stretch them further is to continue attacking on multiple front which will prevent them from pulling forces to strengthen another area. I think their tactic is to defend their territory until SLGOV heads to international pressure.

onecountry said...

defencewire:

Tigers captured few tanks in previous battles. Do they use them in battle now?

Defencewire said...

OC,
They regroup and sometimes offer stiff resistance. SLA weathers the resistance and moved back in. The Tigers regroup again and resist. This is the story.

Government has come into int. pressure due to own mismanagement. Tigers may see this as an opportunity, but the same int. com. is after their hide too.

Tigers hardly ever use Tanks.

Srilankan said...

Well done Maj Gen Jayasuriya..very well done..May the blessings of the triple gem be with you.

LKDOOD said...

nice post Defencewire :)

LKDOOD said...

BBC: Sri Lanka ceasefire formally ends

LINK

mottapala said...

Government is under tremendous pressure over this decision. They have gone to the extent of threatning the leader to be prosecuted under war crimes.See what Arbour woman says,


An intensification of hostilities will likely have a devastating effect on the human rights of many Sri Lankans from all communities," said Arbour, a former U.N. war crimes prosecutor and Canadian Supreme Court judge, in a statement.

She said international law prohibited all sides in the decades-long Sri Lankan conflict from committing unlawful killings or torture, arbitrary detention, recruiting or deploying child soldiers, and forcing people out of their homes.

"Violations of these rules by any party could entail individual criminal responsibility under international criminal law, including by those in positions of command," Arbour said

Anonymous said...

DW, what about that canadian UN woman's war crime threat?
Does international low is aplicabale to every country?
If so, is it applicable only to government officials?
Or does it applicable to any person (like vp)?
What is your scenario building?

Srilankan said...

ninja bandara..she wants us to offer LTTE sweeties..hehehe

LKDOOD said...

3 suspected Tigers held in Delhi

LINK

LKDOOD said...

Rajapaksa Says 1987 Provinces Law Is Basis for Sri Lankan Peace

LINK

LKDOOD said...

POLL:
Can the SLA win the war this year ?


VOTE HERE

Sun Tzu's disciple said...

""We wish to announce to our readers that this report is completely inaccurate.""

How is it possible to be so sure?? I am sure Athas is also relying on military sources like you, so your word against his. Also the military 'source' for psy-ops or for selfish reasons is not going to tell to a blogger that it was a lucky blast:) Not implying that it was for I have no idea.
Due to the embargo on LTTE areas I'm sure most vehicles there transport only LTTE--working on that presumption the LRRP could have blasted any 'macho' vehicle and got a lucky shot? I remember right after TCs death Mr Nanayakkara said in a press conference that the military did not know TC was in that bunker(slip of tongue:)?

""Charles was killed by a 15kg Claymore Mine (side charger) specially made for him by the LRRP""
Why, does Pottu require a 20-kg one:)? Same arguments as above--I'm not stalking you but asking to tone it down otherwise it sounds like a MoD press release:)

""We wish to inform our readers that this report is also a complete fabrication. A senior military official regading this report, told DefenceWire that the Tigers are fabricating these reports ‘while on the run’.""
Same argument as above. And I would take TN figure as closer to truth than any 'senior military official' any time(on a comparative scale, does not mean TN is ever truthful). Remember after AAB attack TN immed came out with a figure of 8 aircrafts, while the 'military official'hemmed and hawed till they too arrived at that figure only after around 10 days:)?
And yesterdays AFP report says Military figures show 397 Tigers dead vs 20 Govts for this month alone;))
This 'war of attrition'is in some ways harming the GoSL in the long run I think--It shows that LTTE has indeed achieved military parity( You go for attrition when your forces are not able to defeat the other side comprehensively .i.e.military stalemate , so that through attrition the side with bigger reserves/resources wins in the end.

Jambudipa said...

Sun Tzu follower,

/*
It shows that LTTE has indeed achieved military parity( You go for attrition when your forces are not able to defeat the other side comprehensively .
*/

I feel you are not reading the situation accurately. The military after suffering debacles in the past, now taking a more cautious approach is how I read it. This does not in anyway mean the military is not capable of storming into Vanni and ending it quickly incurring massive casualties. Unlike the LTTE however, the military does not consider even a single soldier dispensable. The choice of strategy and tactics are built around this noble concept. Was it Pottu Amman who calculated 8,000 cost in indoctrinated zombies for taking Jaffna?

The Jayasikurui op was a single movement along A9. This was doomed to fail from the beginning. Moving into LTTE area exposed for attacks from both sides was a very silly idea. According to Balakumaranm, LTTE suffered 3000 deaths in that op. Karuna Amman and the Eastern carder made a key difference in that fight. Now of course, its entirely different. The east or Karuna is not there anymore. I doubt very much LTTE can sacrifice 3000 battling a single front when other fronts are exposed with its limited and fast dwindling strength. A moment of hesitation and losing grip will be all that is needed for mass desertion of forcefully conscripted carder. The LTTE will have to somehow cover all fronts whilst facing precision air strikes and preventing LRRP taking targets within its areas at will. Add to this, supplies are obviously running low with diesel hard to come by and medical needs escalating due to attrition war forced on it from all sides.

The situation is very grim if you are LTTE. I would not throw around phrases such as "parity of status" and humiliate yourself at this stage.

LKDOOD said...

Sri Lanka Ends Truce With Rebels, Pans UN Human Rights Comment

LINK

Defencewire said...

sun tzu's disciple,

I think you are making some VERY SERIOUS allegations here. We take it that you are new to our work, otherwise we would really like to take you on, word for word, on this blog for accuracy!

"How is it possible to be so sure??"

If we weren't sure, we wouldn't start releasing information like this in the first place.

"I am sure Athas is also relying on military sources like you, so your word against his."

Athas is indeed relying on some military officers. However, most of his buddies retired sometime ago and his new sources are not that accurate all the time. However, he was able to provide accurate figures about the 23 aircraft lost at A'pura. But we at DW gave these figures long before. If you want, you can check the dates of our posts against the dates of his.

"Also the military 'source' for psy-ops or for selfish reasons is not going to tell to a blogger that it was a lucky blast:)"

If a civilian like Athas can obtain information from defence forces, why can't we? Please also understand, out identity is not as bloggers. Blogging is our way of speaking the truth and revealing to you what happens for real in a war full of propaganda and false information. This is not a job, but a duty and we take it VERY SERIOUSLY.

"Not implying that it was for I have no idea."

What???

"Due to the embargo on LTTE areas I'm sure most vehicles there transport only LTTE--working on that presumption the LRRP could have blasted any 'macho' vehicle and got a lucky shot?"

Wrong. This was done following credible information from a double agent. Think about it for a moment, if you can. How can a random claymore kill an Intel Leader who most LTTE cadres didn't even know was that important? By the way, he was not traveling in a 'macho' vehicle but a van, which is a common sight in these areas due to the presence of the church and various charities.

"I remember right after TCs death Mr Nanayakkara said in a press conference that the military did not know TC was in that bunker(slip of tongue:)?"

This is not exactly what he meant. They launched a strike on a house, not a bunker, on information that a senior LTTE leader was hiding there. They did not know it was TC, but they knew it was someone important. I think the ability to obtain this type of intel against the LTTE is quite formidable.

"Same arguments as above--I'm not stalking you but asking to tone it down otherwise it sounds like a MoD press release:)"

MoD Press Release? Now that's creative! We resemble them in no way at all, for we have no reason to hide facts or lie to keep our stars or buddy or worry about our next promotion now.

"And I would take TN figure as closer to truth than any 'senior military official' any time(on a comparative scale, does not mean TN is ever truthful)."

Well, that is really your problem, not ours. If you believe TN better thn information we get from sources VERY close to us, then that too is your problem.

"Remember after AAB attack TN immed came out with a figure of 8 aircrafts, while the 'military official'hemmed and hawed till they too arrived at that figure only after around 10 days:)?"

Remember after the AAB attack DW came out with 17 planes lost, then revealed the total losses at 23 aircraft? REMEMBER THAT???

"And yesterdays AFP report says Military figures show 397 Tigers dead vs 20 Govts for this month alone;))"

Read the AFP reports carefully. They always said 'according to the Sri Lankan Military'. They never state these figures as fact.

"This 'war of attrition'is in some ways harming the GoSL in the long run I think--It shows that LTTE has indeed achieved military parity( You go for attrition when your forces are not able to defeat the other side comprehensively .i.e.military stalemate , so that through attrition the side with bigger reserves/resources wins in the end."

Attrition warfare is not a strategy used in defeat. It is a strategy used FOR victory. USA lost attrition war in vietnam because it was not their country, culture or people. It was an insurgency, guerilla warfare etc, in a strange country for US soldiers fed on ham and bacon. They have since then learned a lot and have improved themselves, much like the SLA.

If you ask DA, he will tell you that this war is not all about attrition. It is also about maneuvers. We would have to wait patiently to see whether the current strategy is a success or failure.It all depends on the expectation.

verbatim said...

The mindset of the govt forces of waging attritional warefare is they think of it as a last resort. conventional attacks failed (Jayasikurui, Muhamalai 1,2..) against LTTE in the northern theotre. So they think they can drain LTTE of manpower by resorting to attritional warfare. If they believe that they can win conventional battles with the tigers, they wont be spending time destroying bunkers :)

However in this attritional warefare odds are stacked up against gosl soldiers. They have to venture into mined/booby trapped areas, get shot by tigers hiding in bunkers and face the indirect fire. The tigers will setup kill zone after kill zone for the soldiers to go into and retreat (they have depth) and then pounce with an unceasing wave. That is what happened to Jayasikurui troops, and I dont see any plausible reasoning to think the current set of soldiers are not facing a similar wanni quagmire.

The current set of soldiers face increased odds such as lack of armored support and much enhanced indirect fire capability of tigers.

The number of soldiers moving from south is not much different from the number of soldiers participated in Jayasikurui, and their strength is widely dispersed.
(earlier two divisions and ancillaries, now three divisions out of which two divisions are new recruits)

So the tigers can let the forces march suffiently into the quagmire and can concentrate on one part/division of troops for annihilation. Then all talk of attritional warefare will evaporate.


Aside from the defense angle, the state is more vulnerable to suffer defeat in an attritional warfare due to economic and political reasons. (same reason America lost in Vietnam, the war became politically and ecnomically very unpopular). Insurgents tend to last longer in an attritional warfare.

verbatim said...

According to one of Karuna's interview, Prabakaran told him that his plan was to talk peace for five years and then begin next phase of war.

Now in the five + years, tigers would have stocked up ammunition and other essentials such as fuel for this phase of war. During Hizbullah Vs Israli conflict, Hizbullahs maintained steady rocket fire until the last day of fight. One of the world's best airforces (with tons of UAVs to boot), israli airforce could not destroy Hizbullah rocket stockpiles. How on earth SLAF is going to find and destroy tigers' stockpiles?

Now imagine the quantity of the ammunition/weapons the tigers would have stockpiled in five years with atleast 10 ships. They would hate to see them go to waste, so they will instead use those to set up kill zones for GOSL soldiers. Ofcourse govt is also playing a key role in the LTTE's game plan by pushing the soldiers into the wanni quagmire.

verbatim said...

btw, despite the talk of five/six fronts, the real fronts are the ones moving from south. Muhamalai and Nagarkovil ones are fake ones, they cannot launch sustained offensives due constraints in supply routes. And the LTTE FDLs in the north have multiple layers of well established kill zones. Even the armour cannot achieve much in that terrain. So any offensive from that front will be suicidal just like agnee-keela, Muhamalai 1,2..

So there are only three fronts spearheaded by divisions 57,58 and 59.

Unknown said...

verbatom,
You can not compare, SL-LTTE with Israli-palastine problem.
Each and every palastine hate israel and all the arabs hate israel.
But SL has gain, i. e. people in the north. they are fedup with the LTTE. that is the resource of SL ARMY to do successfully.
This is one biggest problem in SL. People very rarely think out of "what SUDDA made us to think"

Sun Tzu's disciple said...

Pan Hinda,

""The military after suffering debacles in the past, now taking a more cautious approach is how I read it""

ReallY? In that case it sounds exactly like a stalemate:)

""Unlike the LTTE however, the military does not consider even a single soldier dispensable""

What about Muhamalai for Budget Presentation? Why didnt military commanders not put their foot down then?
My common sense tells me that with very limited resources LTTE would be much more concerned about losses than Govt side?


""indoctrinated zombies ""
But these indocrinated zombies can withstand the SL miltary, and even defeat them badly at times though outnumbered 20:1 right:)?
I think there is lots of de-humanising of opposite side by both Singalese and Tamils here dont you think?


""The situation is very grim if you are LTTE. I would not throw around phrases such as "parity of status" and humiliate yourself at this stage.""
I am not LTTE:) In fact I dont belong to South Asia even;)
But till now there has been parity as far as I can see. But giving time-bound predictions can lead to humiliation if proved wrong, you know.


Defencewire,

Cool down baby:) I was just giving some of my thoughts, not alleging actually:)
I like the way your reports are no-nonsense ,no frills type so only I visit here. But sometimes too much of 'certainty'seen in uncertain situations like these lowers the credibility of the posts, by default.Anyway I am very satisfied with your riposte, and time will tell its accuracy.

Jambudipa said...

verbatim,

/*
The tigers will setup kill zone after kill zone for the soldiers to go into and retreat (they have depth) and then pounce with an unceasing wave. That is what happened to Jayasikurui troops, and I dont see any plausible reasoning to think the current set of soldiers are not facing a similar wanni quagmire.
*/

Spot on there. This is where almost all offensives by the military in the past have been costly. These deep 'Kill-Zone' boundaries enclosed by mine fields worked very well against large predictable troop movements. Costly 'unceasing waves' could also be sustained since it was only a single front. Unceasing waves or kill zones in depth is useless when the attacker approach you in dispersed groups from many directions.

Sun-Tzu,

/*
ReallY? In that case it sounds exactly like a stalemate:)

But till now there has been parity as far as I can see.
*/

If there was a 'stalemate' or even 'parity of status' you would not need to take it out on bus loads of innocent people then would you? :)

Srilankan said...

Verbatim..lets wait and see if your theories panout..give it say 6 weeks

Sun Tzu's disciple said...

""If there was a 'stalemate' or even 'parity of status' you would not need to take it out on bus loads of innocent people then would you? :)""

Clever by half reply.Tamils can ask the same question on bombing runs or LRRP attacks then.And you seem to know the bombers ID even before the bodies gone war, amazing! Unless you set it to blame somebody? Cynical I know, but reply indicated I think.

Jambudipa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jambudipa said...

Verbetim,

/*
The mindset of the govt forces of waging attritional warefare is they think of it as a last resort. conventional attacks failed (Jayasikurui, Muhamalai 1,2..) against LTTE in the northern theotre.
*/

You picked only the ones that failed. The recent battles in Sampoor, Mavilaru, Muttur were in full conventional style. Thoppigala and Vakarai were preceded by attrition warfare.

There were others such as Vadamarachi in the Northern theater when LTTE ran away to fight another day conserving their resources and strength. The problem this time however, where are they going to run to? :)

Sun-Tzu,

/*
Tamils can ask the same question on bombing runs or LRRP attacks then.
*/

I don't think anyone can question why you would want to defend yourself against an aggressor. Furthermore, you are not in a position to speak on behalf of people in Vanni unless you live there. If my kids were forcefully taken for cannon fodder or my well being was threatened indefinitely, I would want someone to come and rescue me. This is what the BBC reporter observed (read Sinhala BBC).

Sun Tzu's disciple said...

""I don't think anyone can question why you would want to defend yourself against an aggressor. Furthermore, you are not in a position to speak on behalf of people in Vanni unless you live there. If my kids were forcefully taken for cannon fodder or my well being was threatened indefinitely, I would want someone to come and rescue me. This is what the BBC reporter observed (read Sinhala BBC).""

Mostly rhetoric--could have been a Tamil asking me the same question with address reversed. You dont have to live in a place to speak on their behalf--knowledge that people are suffering is enough. The suffering can be Sri Lanka, Timor, Darfur or Afghanistan does not matter.
While accusing Verbatim of selectively picking news reports, you seem to have done the same yourself?:)

Jambudipa said...

Sun Tzu,

/*
You dont have to live in a place to speak on their behalf--knowledge that people are suffering is enough.
*/

I think you had your chance for nearly 3 decades and failed utterly to speak on behalf of Tamils in SL. There is no Eelam, no negotiating on anything less or getting the hell out the war business and let the people live in peace. Since you failed, now its the govt turn to call an end to the game and bring lasting peace.

Sun Tzu's disciple said...

""I think you had your chance for nearly 3 decades and failed utterly to speak on behalf of Tamils in SL. There is no Eelam, no negotiating on anything less or getting the hell out the war business and let the people live in peace. Since you failed, now its the govt turn to call an end to the game and bring lasting peace.""

Who is "you"?? The Govt has taken its'" turn" for 3 decades too ,and failed.You are talking about the'" peace" of the tomb.Both parties here deserve a thorough spanking. Since both parties are retarded, the UN/IC needs to intervene methinks.

Moshe Dyan said...

Complete crap by a marsupial terrorist.

First there is no "Tamil" involvement; it is the LTTE; there are many Tamils against the LTTE may be anti-LTTE tamil militias outnumber harcore LTTE terrorists.

Calling the UN/IC to involve in this war is the dumbest thing imaginable and there are such dumbs.

This is an internal conflict and SL can very well manage it IF THE IC/UN KEEP OUT OF IT.

The UN/IC only looks into civilian casualties caused by a govt; they don't care about terrorists doing same.

The govt. must consider using a cat's paw group to do all the dirty jobs that must be done.

Moshe Dyan said...

the retarded call the others retarded, a common ailment.

"the UN/IC needs to intervene methinks."

get them to fix you mother, sister, wife, daughter, etc. They did a fantastic job in Congo/Haiti, etc. They are only good at that.

Its only LTTE sympathisers who want a UN/IC intervention.

Sun Tzu's disciple said...

""the retarded call the others retarded, a common ailment.

"the UN/IC needs to intervene methinks."

get them to fix you mother, sister, wife, daughter, etc. They did a fantastic job in Congo/Haiti, etc. They are only good at that.

Its only LTTE sympathisers who want a UN/IC intervention.""

Proof of Retardation--if any were needed:))

verbatim said...

andare,

israli-hizbulla example was only to show that airforce cannot destroy the tiger stockpiles.

verbatim said...

panhinda,

the tigers strategically withdrew from east, as the terrain and other factors (Karuna's men) are unfavorable to them. The tigers have chosen wanni as their favorite battleground, and the govt is obliging.

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