2ND LEAD

Clash erupts again at Nagarkovil, A9 partly closed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 04:02 GMT]
Clashes erupted between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and the Liberation Tigers fighters, Friday night and Saturday morning, on both the sides of A9, in east and west of Muhamalai entry point. The civilian traffic from Jaffna to Kilinochchi via A9 entry point remained closed Saturday morning. However, the traffic in the opposite direction was flowing, travellers said. Mortar fire and artillery fire was reported in the area.

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers who were seen strengthening their FDL posts at Nagarkovil, 8 km northeast of Muhamalai A9 entry point, fired at LTTE FDLs from a tank continously for 45 minutes from 7:30 a.m. Saturday, LTTE sources said.

The attack which ceased when LTTE retaliated with mortar fire, resumed again when two tanks returned to the coastal site, firing again at the LTTE posts.

The Scandinavian truce monitors have been notified, the Tigers said.

82 mm mortar fire and 120 mm artillery fire by the SLA was reported from 11:00 p.m. Friday till 4:00 a.m. Saturday west of A9.

Casualty details were not available at the moment.