B. Muralidhar Reddy
COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka military has claimed that at least 29 cadres of the LTTE were killed and scores of bunkers of Tigers destroyed in continued fighting along the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) in the north amid an air raid on an LTTE “suicide squad training centre” in Mullaittivu district in the past 24 hours. Two soldiers were also reported killed in the fighting.
A statement by the Defence Ministry further claimed that seven Tamils reached the security forces in Murunkan, seeking safety. It said these people approached the joint Naval and Police marshalling post at Murunkan in the morning. For the last few days the military has been asserting that Tamils are fleeing the LTTE-controlled areas into the government-controlled areas to avoid conscription by the Tigers.
The military said that at least 10 Tiger cadres were killed and LTTE bunker defence lines destroyed when troops launched a multi-pronged assault at LTTE positions ahead of northern FDLs. “Ground troops have confirmed that 10 LTTE bunkers were destroyed during the attack, around 5.45 a.m.”, it said.
Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said security forces have continued their limited military operations at northern and Wanni defences “inflicting heavy damage” on the LTTE. According to the reports, 19 LTTE cadres were killed and many others injured during the clashes.
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