Preparing for the final showdown

The Army has decided to temporarily postpone its hostage rescue plan into the NFZ as large numbers of civilians started moving into government areas across the Nanthikadal Lagoon yesterday following the complete decimation of the LTTE's entire hardcore reserve.

Reports reaching DefenceWire indicate that a total of around 750 LTTE hardcore cadres have either been killed or surrendered to the Army over a 3 day period ending last Saturday night. Not a single LTTE cadre trapped in the combined 53, 57, 58 and TF-8 box had escaped. It was virtually airtight, ground commanders confirmed to DefenceWire.

Sources indicated to DefenceWire that only a small band of hardcore fighters remain in the LTTE. These include members of the Ratha Regiment providing protection to Prabhakaran and family (Ratnam Master, the head of Ratha Regiment was killed in an airstrike) a team from Charles Anthony, an Intelligence Unit team protecting Poddu and Kabil Amman and bodyguards of the handful of other surviving 'Colonels' like Bhanu, Lawrence etc. There is also a small 'Police Force' and an auxiliary unit, which can also putup a fight if necessary.

The services rendered to the daring operation to break the LTTE backbone in Puthukudirippu from 1st to 5th April by Major General Kamal Gunaratne as the senior-most officer in the team as well as Brigadier Shavendra Silva, Colonel G.V. Ravipriya and Colonel Deshapriya Gunawardene requires special notice.

Also of particular note is the close fire support provided by the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corp, which was evident in the way enemy bunkers, fortifications and even bodies have been mutilated in the battlefield.

The yeoman service provided by 2 Commando Regiment under the overall leadership of its CO Ralph Nugera and 1 Special Forces under Colonel Athula Kodippili needs special mentioning as they, particularly 1 SF, swung into action on Commander General Fonseka's instructions (Special Forces are part of the Commander's Reserve).

The man who deserves major credit is none other than General Fonseka who, particularly through Major General Jayasuriya, provided close scrutiny of the battleplan and approved the daring operation to proceed. If all things go according to plan, General Fonseka's pledge to eliminate Prabhakaran, who once sought his own scalp, could become a reality.