SLA, police cordon, search many areas of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 January 2008, 17:47 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police launched extensive cordon and search operations in many parts of Jaffna peninsula from Monday morning till evening, subjecting people to search and interrogation. Karaveddi in Vadamaraadchchi, and Kurunakar near Jaffna town were two places where the searches were intensive, with hundreds of SLA troops and policemen deployed, sources in Jaffna said.

SLA troops removed a claymore device placed under a bridge Sunday noon in Sampanthan Kadai area in Karaveddi in Vadamaraadchchi and this incident had caused panic among the census officials engaged in census work in the area.

The census officials, however, continued their task Monday in the same area as the SLA and police conducted cordon and search operation near by.

SLA claimed an unidentified youth detonated a hand bomb and died Sunday early morning at 2:30 a.m, near Kudaakkadal, Kurunakar within Jaffna municipal council area while trying to infiltrate through barbed wire fencing around the Army camp.

The SLA and the police conducted intensive cordon and search operation Sunday and Monday in Kurunakar including the coastal areas of Jaffna lagoon allowing none either to enter or leave this area from morning till evening.

Similar cordon and searches were launched by the SLA in Kodikaamam in Thenmaraadchchi and in Cha’ndilipaay in Valikaamam.

Searches have been intensified after the Sri Lanka government abrogated the Cease Fire Agreement made with the Tigers which will come into full effect on Wednesday, civil society sources in Jaffna peninsula said.