Capt. Ranawaka bids adieu

The Sri Lanka Army's 58 Division is presently readjusting its lines in Adampan. The readjustments usually involve the straightening of the line for ease of command. The process takes time, but when complete, requires less men to defend the line while others move onto offensive operations.

The defence-line around Adampan consists mostly of Trenches which have to be realigned by digging new trenches and fortifying them with logs and sandbags. The vegetation around the locations are usually undisturbed for the trenches to blend in with the landscape.

In the past, this line readjustment phase has been dangerous due to harassing fire and attacks by LTTE. Now the situation has changed. Except for a few harassing mortar fires, the readjustment of the line has continued unchallenged.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Army lost one of its valuable young officers this week. The valiant hero who lost his life was Captain Keerthi Ranawaka of the Armoured Corps. Capt. Ranawaka was returning to base after a ground recce for a armoured assault on a line of LTTE bunkers in Mannar when he was injured in an Anti-Personnel mine.

The seasoned soldier succumbed to his injuries in hospital. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel as he was about to be promoted to the rank of Major at the time of his untimely death.

Ranawaka's most recent contributions was a courageous decision to deploy Armoured Corps assets to transport injured soldiers from the Mannar FDL despite soggy ground conditions, booby traps and anti-tank mines. Ranawaka leaves behind his loving wife and two young daughters.

Mangalesh's cause of death uncertain.

Sea Tiger Leader Soosei's 2nd In-Command (2IC) Mangalesh has died in a Security Forces attack on the 8th. Mangalesh's transfer to Mannar was subsequent to a fallout with his Commander Soosei around 7 months ago. He was in charge of the Sea Tigers now deployed on land in defensive maneuvers in Adampan.

DefenceWire has been investigating the exact cause of his death without much luck. On 8th February there were 9 separate attacks by the Security Forces. One was on an LTTE hideout using MI-24/35 Helicopter Gunships.

Several successful artillery attacks were also launched on that date. The Special Forces carried out some attacks in the Deep Battle Space in Mannar. We understand that Mangalesh may have met his end in one of the above attacks.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Air Force carried out three separate attacks on LTTE locations in Mannar last morning. The targets were LTTE assets, which included a ration store and kitchen complex, a mobile operating theater and hospital and a base-camp shelter. Exact damage caused to these assets situated in the Mannar hot zone in yet unclear.