LTTE plans celebrations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will celebrate the stalling of Operation Jayasikurui, on its first anniversary, on 12, 13 and 14 May at Kokkadichcholai and Iluppadichenai in the LTTE controlled areas west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.

Operation Jayasikurui is the longest military operation in the post WWII history of South Asia, begun by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) a year ago and aimed at securing an overland route from Vavuniya to Kilinochchi in the Wanni.

The LTTE's celebrations will include an exhibition of weapons captured from the SLA and photographs from the war front said sources in the Wanni.

Thurai, the leader of Batticaloa-Amparai area and Keeran, of the LTTE's political wing will be present at the celebrations, said sources in Batticaloa.

Operation Jayasikurui was launched by the SLA on May 13, 1997 from Thandikulam, north of Vavuniya, to link up with troops in Kilinochchi and thereby wrest control of the 75 km stretch of the A9 trunk road from Vavuniya to Jaffna.

But the LTTE has been successful in halting the incremental

advance of Operation Jayasikurui at Mankulam and pinning

down three divisions of the SLA there.