SLA, LTTE clash in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 January 2008, 08:16 GMT]
Heavy clashes erupted in Mannaar between the Sri Lanka Army and the Liberation Tigers on two fronts when the SLA launched ground movement towards Uyilangku'lam in Mannaar Town DS division at 6:00 a.m. and towards Paalamoaddai in Vavuniyaa - Mannaar border, around 8:00 a.m. Friday. Mannaar Operations Command of the Tigers told media in Vanni that the SLA units was pushed back to their old positions after counter attacks that were carried out amid heavy artillery fire. The SLA sustained heavy casualties in Uyilangku'lam, the Tigers said. Meanwhile the SLA handed over 3 dead bodies of females to Murungkan Police claiming that the bodies belonged to LTTE fighters.

One SLA soldier was killed and many wounded in the counter attack that lasted for 25 minutes at Paalamoaadai where LTTE had no casualties, the Tigers said.

The fighting at Uyilangku'lam lasted for 2 hours, before the SLA troops were pushed back.

The SLA claimed 13 Tigers were killed in Uyilangku'lam fighting.

The Sri Lanka Army has handed over three dead bodies of females to Murungkan police Friday noon with gunshot wounds to their heads, with their hands and feet tied, saying that the females were LTTE fighters. The bodies were recovered in a search operation in Periya Neelaava'nai, the SLA officials told the police.

Mannaar Magistrate T.J. Prabakaran inspected the deceased and ordered the bodies to be handed over to Mannaar hospital mortuary.

Meanwhile, the ICRC was making arrangements to transport a dead body of a Tiger female fighter killed in action on Wednesday to LTTE controlled territory.