Weli Oya, slow but steady

LTTE in panic in Weli Oya have intensified its defence-in-depth. 'Col' Swarnam and a host of elite units have been called in to halt the Army's progress, which has been slow but steady. Troops advancing on its four Avenues of Approach are at Kalyanapura, Kiriibbanwewa, Janakapura North and Kokkuthuduwai.

The LTTE had 14 bases (hence the name 1-4) in the dense Mullaithivu Jungle, where Prabhakaran took shelter from the IPKF in 1987. Of these, one base with underground facilities was captured recently by troops.

Highly placed sources told this site that another 10 miles into LTTE areas would give the Army tremendous influence over Mullaithivu. An advance of 10 miles would result in the capture of vital LTTE locations such as Nayaru and Alampil. Currently Mullaithivu Town is within Artillery Range.

Special Forces and Commando Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) teams have also been quietly busy over the last few weeks. Today, despite the Poya Day, a Special Forces LRRP team ambushed an LTTE tractor at Nedunkerni, North West of Weli Oya. A team from 3 Commando (3CR) missed LTTE's Mannar leader Lakshman when they attacked his outrider due to a misunderstanding.

A host of LTTE 'Lieutenant Colonels' have been killed by LRRP units within the past weeks. These include an LTTE 'Lieutenant Colonel' from the Imran Pandian Regiment. Troops surrounded, killed and recovered the body of the 2nd in-charge (2IC) of the LTTE's Sothia Brigade (Women) north of Palampiddi recently.