42 SLA killed in Mannaar clashes - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 14:15 GMT]
20 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed in an intensive counter-attack launched by the Tigers on SLA units that attempted to move through Paalaikkuzhi targeting Adampan on Tuesday, the Tigers said. The direct clash intensified after LTTE mounted artillery attack on Tha'l'laadi garrison and the fighting lasted till 12:30 p.m. Meanwhile, a unit of SLA troops that advanced was trapped, unable to pull back, in an open area along Paalaikkuzhi - Adampan road at 1:30 p.m. LTTE's long range snipers, who engaged the unit, gunned down 22 SLA soldiers between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m., Mannaar Operations Command of the LTTE told media.

More than 53 SLA soldiers were wounded in the counter-attack in Mannaar on Tuesday, according to the LTTE.

The artillery attack on Tha'l'laadi Sri Lanka Army camp was part of the counter-attack in Paalaikkuzhi, the Tigers said.

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