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| Sri Lanka |
| Troops move into last LTTE-held areas, kill 44 LTTE men |
| 2009-03-06 |
| (PTI) Moving further into the last territory held by the LTTE, Sri Lankan troops today restricted the Tamil Tigers to an area of 55 sq km and killed at least 44 rebels in the embattled northern region, even as concern mounted on the safety of civilians caught in the war zone. Troops successfully averted an infiltration attempt by the LTTE causing heavy loses to the rebel camp, the Defence Ministry said. LTTE cadres attempted to break the forward defence line linking 55 and 58 Divisions south of Chalai early today, but troops repulsed the attack and inflicted heavy damages to the Tamil Tigers, it said, adding that 33 rebels were killed in the attack. The Ministry said a large cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the rebels. After liberating Puthukkudiyiruppu junction, last town held by the rebels, from the LTTE, troops of 58 division have commenced an eastward thrust towards the coast, the ministry said quoting sources, adding eight Tamil Tigers were killed in various clashes yesterday. Also, troops of Task Force 8 moving towards northeast have been able to push their boundaries forward into Puthukkudiyiruppu east and claimed heavy damages to the rebel force. "The LTTE is now boxed into an area less than 55 square kilometers," the ministry said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 The LTTE are a terrorist organization and are recognized as such by most of the world. However, there is a major cult of personality component to them and if the Lankans can catch the one leader, most of the problem is solved. Sort of like when Peru caught the head of Sendero Luminoso - the terrorists fell apart. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2009-03-06 16:18 |
| #2 Meh, trying to play kesselschlachen with an insurgency is like taking a hammer to a blob of mercury - afterwards, you just have a multiplicity of little mercury blobs all over your desktop where there used to be one big blob of quicksilver. Or am I wrong in classifying the LTTE as an insurgency? Are they a proper rebel army which can be forced to surrender? |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-03-06 11:17 |
| #1 A few days ago, the LTTE was boxed into 50 sq km. Since then they have squeezed the Tigers into 55 sq km. Progress like that can make for some very bad days ahead. Isn't it time to tank these Tigers? |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2009-03-06 10:44 |