Umayaalpuram camp under siege - radio

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 December 1999, 14:16 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have overrun sections of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) base at Umayaalpuram situated south of the main SLA base at Elephant Pass said the Tamileelam Vaanoli, the commercial service of the Voice of Tigers (VoT) this evening.

The radio said the Tigers have overrun 10 SLA camps and 25 mini-camps in the area, despite stiff resistance from the SLA.

The radio said that Umayaalpuram was under siege by the LTTE and that the Tigers were intensifying their attacks.

The VoT reported in its noon special news broadcast today that the Liberation Tigers have intensified their attack on the SLA south of Elephant Pass and on SLA positions in the general area of Iyakkachchi, north of Elephant Pass.

The radio further said that 17 LTTE were killed in the fighting and gave the names of the dead.

Meanwhile, hospital sources said that 69 wounded Sri Lankan soldiers were brought to Anuradhapura during the day today, along with the bodies of five others.