LTTE renews artillery attacks

Rafik Jalaldeen

BATTICALOA: Fresh artillery attacks erupted in the East yesterday morning as the LTTE fired on Security Forces detachments in Kadjuwatta, Kirimichchiya and Panichchenkerni from uncleared areas in Vakarai.

"The situation was calm on Monday night but the LTTE cadres started to attack Kadjuwatta, Kirimichchiya and Panichchenkerni camps from Vakarai from 10.30 a.m.", Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told the Daily News.

He said that the LTTE attacked with heavy artillery using 122mm and 152mms.

The Security Forces precisely detected the positions of the LTTE cadres in Vakarai areas. "The LTTE cadres have shifted their gun positions close to the Vakarai hospital and Tamil Maha Vidyalaya. Thus the Security Forces had to restrain from direct retaliation in order to avoid civilian casualties," Brigadier Samarasinghe told the Daily News.

However, limited operations were carried out by the Security Forces and troops were progressing ahead of Kadjuwatta. The casualty figures were not known.

Meanwhile, around 85 civilians entered the Government controlled area from the uncleared areas enduring severe hardship. The IDP's were provided shelter, food and medicine at the Army camps, Samarasinghe said.

Brigadier Samarasinghe said that two soldiers were killed and two others and a civilian injured when a claymore mine was detonated by the LTTE cadres in Srikandal, Murunkan yesterday morning.

The Army personnel on the road patrol were targeted by the LTTE cadres on the Murunkan- Silavathurai road. The injured were admitted to Anuradhapura hospital.