Forces’ Chiefs predict Tiger extinction in 2008

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

The Tri-Forces Commanders yesterday expressed confidence that 2008 would be a decisive year in their effort of eliminating terrorism from Sri Lanka since they were already on course towards accomplishing this task by next year.

Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka who has already announced his intention of shifting the current battles to a decisive phase in August next year, expressed confidence of achieving the mission by reducing the existing number of Tiger cadres to 2,000.
 

“Considering the number of Tiger cadres that get killed each day in the Wanni front and in Jaffna, this task can be achieved soon,” the Army Commander added.

“We can bring the war against the LTTE to a turning point once we are able to destroy the LTTE capabilities to operate in bunkers and FDLs,” he added.

“Then it would be a case of hunting down the Tiger cadres in the jungles”, the Army Commander added.

He said it would be difficult for Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to engage in a game of hide and seek for long since the Air Force is taking each and every hideout of the LTTE in the Wanni.

He also explained that the Army was ready to take on this task with the formation of five offensive Divisions in the Army to face an estimated 5,000 Tiger cadres left in the Wanni.

Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatilleke also expressed confidence that the task of totally defeating the LTTE in 2008 was high.

“The way things are happening it is possible to achieve the task in 2008,” the Air Force Commander added. He said he was extremely satisfied with the way the Air Force was operating during the year.

“We are quite confident the Air Force would be able to completely breakdown the military capabilities of the LTTE in the Wanni by destroying their military bases, training bases, sea capabilities, armouries and their leadership,” he added.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda said it was quite possible to defeat the LTTE in 2008. “We have broken their backbone by destroying their ships and we are hopeful they will be further weakened,” the Navy Commander added.

He said the LTTE is now starved of arms and ammunition since what arms and ammunition they receive at present come only across the Palk Strait from Tamil Nadu.

“This will help the ground troops to achieve the task of eliminating LTTE terrorism in 2008,” the Navy Commander added.