SLA withdraws from Kokkadicholai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 August 1998, 22:51 GMT]
The joint Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Special Task Force (STF) and police operation at Kokkadicholai, 20 km southwest of Batticaloa, in an Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held area, came to a halt at around 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday said informed sources in Europe when contacted by TamilNet.

The Sri Lankan security forces then returned to their bases near Batticaloa town, they said.

At least thirteen wounded SLA troops and an injured policeman were admitted to Batticaloa hospital on Wednesday. They were relocated to an unknown location on Thursday.

However, at least 25 other SLA casualties were treated at the Amparai Military hospital and an unspecified number were removed to hospitals elsewhere, said the sources.

Meanwhile, a man who was killed at Kokkadicholai on Wednesday morning around 7:30 a.m. was identified as K. Yogarajah (37), a tailor. The SLA shot him claiming he was an LTTE supporter, said the sources.

K. Kalyani (35), wife of Mr. Yogarajah, giving evidence at the inquest before K. Thiyagarajah, Acting District Judge, Batticaloa, said that as a tailor her husband undertook tailoring contracts from the LTTE, but denied that he had any other involvement.

Unconfirmed reports said the SLA also arrested two women and a man at Kokkadicholai, suspecting they had links with the LTTE and brought them back to Batticaloa, said the sources.

Troops returned to Batticaloa using the five approaches to Kokkadicholai they had used when they had advanced into the area, said the sources.