Parappakandal under army control, 23 killed in Lanka clashes

Sri Lankan army on Thursday brought the entire town suburb of Parappakandal in Mannar district under its control even as 22 rebels and a soldier died in clashes in other parts of the embattled Northern region of the country, the army said on Thursday.

"Parappakandal, one of the major town suburbs to the north of Uyilankulam, was completely brought under the troops this morning, giving another severe setback and humiliation to the Tiger militants who had kept the area under siege," an official statement said.

Troops earlier had the control over south of Parappakandal for a long time but the north of the suburban town was under LTTE domination, it said.

"Today's capture of the whole of Parappakandal marks a turning point since the area has been of strategic importance to the troops," the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

Troops are consolidating their position, it said, adding causalities are yet to be reported.

There was no immediate reaction from the LTTE.

In another incident, five rebels and an army officer were killed in clashes at Mantota in Mannar, the MCNS said.

Separately, the army recovered bodies of a male and female rebels today during search operations in Pallaikuli area of Mannar, it said.

While three militants were killed in Andankulam in North-east Welioya, 11 rebels were killed in two separate incidents at Karumpaikulam and Periyapandivirchchan areas of Vavuniya on Wednesday, the MCNS said.

A rebel was killed in Nochchikulam in Vavuniya on Wednesday, it said.

Source: hindu