Sri Lanka - 85 SF troopers Killed over 280 SF Injured in Vannerikulam - Military Sources

Vanni - The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) counter attacked the Sri Lankan security forces (SF) in Vannerikulam area on last Monday as very intense fighting between the SF and LTTE ensued as SF troopers tried to advance into the LTTE held area using heavy artillery and mortars.

LTTE counter attacked fiercely the SF attacks in Vannerikulam area and claimed to have killed over 30 SF troopers and wounded at least over 51 SF troopers in the Vannerikulam area alone. On the same day, LTTE claimed to have killed at least 45 SF troopers in Nachchikuda area while wounded another 50 SF troopers.

A Portion of Large Quantity of Arms Captured by the LTTE in Vannerikullam

According to the sources close to Sri Lankan military, the death toll of the SF troopers killed in Vannerikulam counter attacks by the LTTE alone, over 85 and staggering 280 SF troopers were wounded in the fighting.

Meanwhile, Jayaratna florist, one of the leading florists in Colombo, took in charge 56 remains of SF troopers on Wednesday, before the 29 dead bodies handed over by the LTTE to the ICRC had reached Colombo. The high toll was not anticipated by the top brass of the SF troopers, which deployed elite Special Forces with high-powered rockets and explosives during the offensive push at Vannearikkullam on Monday.

LTTE fighting formation avoided any stiff resistances to advancing SF troopers for the past couple of months now putting up heavy resistances in all fronts of Vanni. SF troopers are regularly loosing men and materials to the LTTE formation in past few days.

LTTE also recovered large quantities of arms and ammunitions in fierce Vannerikulam counter attacks on the SF troopers which were displayed, sources further added and provided photographs of section of captured arms to the TNS reporter.  More than 25 AK / T-56 assault rifles, hundreds of LMG rounds, more than 120,000 of 7.62 mm rounds, more than 60 RPG shells, two Light Anti-Tank Weapons (LAWs), around 80 hand grenades and 15 Claymore mines were among the arms being stockpiled by the Tigers.

Despite the losses, a group of the SF troopers managed to sustain one point till Wednesday night when the Tigers overran their point, according to the Sri Lankan sources.

The SF troopers were equipped with anti-tank rockets and high explosive anti-tank RPGs and were instructed to use extensive explosive and fire power.

However, the Tigers managed to engage in close fighting. LTTE laid booby traps have also caused high number of amputations and deaths among the SF troopers.

Earlier, Sarath Fonseka said, coming days and weeks are going to be tough for the SF troopers as they are pushing deep into the LTTE area. He called up a briefing among the generals in the Vanni area, and told them to minimize the loss of lives of the SF troopers. But, LTTE fighting formations in many fronts inflicting heavy tolls on the SF troopers, sources told TNS.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan government and its armed forces brutal, violent, and relentless military operations in the Vanni area already forced over 200,000 Tamil civilians to flee their normal homes. These people are displaced many times in the past few months living in subhuman, degraded and pathetic conditions in many makeshift camps, under the trees, schools, open air and uninhabitable area in the land of the suffering, sources in Vanni told TNS.

These people have no access or very limited access to food, medicine, and other basic essentials. Drinking water is scarce, and sanitation is virtually non existent. The places where they eat and sleep are uninhabitable for any human being. Hundreds of people are already suffering from bowel diseases like diarrhea and looming seasonal rain in Vanni area will only will make worst situation for these unfortunate people in coming days. Biggest and bloody human catastrophe situation are fast developing in the Vanni area, sources in Vanni told TNS.