2ND LEAD (CORRECTION)

LTTE, SLA exchange artillery fire across Jaffna lagoon.

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 16:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched heavy artillery and mortar fire towards Jaffna lagoon in Ariyaalai east, an area close to Thanangki’lappu and Koayilaakka’ndi in Thenmaraadchi, Tuesday around 8:30 p.m. targeting boats that were crossing the lagoon, sources in Jaffna said. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) retaliated, and the artillery duel lasted nearly ten minutes, according to Thenmaraadchi residents.

The LTTE and SLA used Multi-barrel rocket launchers and mortar fire in the duel.

No reports of casualties or injuries are available from both sides.

Recently, LTTE combatants destroyed two SLA sentry posts in Thanangki’lappu and took a boat away from the sentry positions.

Tension prevailed among the residents of Jaffna peninsula during and after the artillery exchange.