Firefights in the Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Fierce fighting broke out between a commando group of the Sri Lankan army and the Liberation Tigers yesterday at Karapukkuththy. The fighting which began around 9.30 a.m went on for about three hours said sources in Vavuniya.

Three SLA soldiers were killed eight, including an officer were seriously wounded in the confrontation.

The SLA group was returning after ambushing a LTTE Land Rover near Olumadu on the Mankulam- Ottisuddaan road. The SLA claimed that six Tigers travelling in this vehicle were killed in the ambush.

But sources in Vavuniya said that there was a firefight in that area as well. The Tigers blew up the Olumadu bridge earlier this month. The bridge is on the approach to Mankulam.

The Tigers however counter ambushed this SLA group at Karappukuththy while it was returning to its base through the jungle.

The SLA's commando group was trapped in the ambush. But later around noon it managed to make good its escape said sources in Vavuniya.

Meanwhile the Liberation Tigers announced in Vavuniya that they engaged the army at Karuppatta Murippu on the Mankulam - Ottisuddan on Oct 21 and 22.