SLA goes for Muhamaalai again

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 April 2000, 13:36 GMT]
Fierce fighting erupted again on the Main Supply Route to Jaffna's gateway garrison today when the Sri Lanka Army made another attempt from this morning to capture the segment of the A9 highway held by the Liberation Tigers.

The battle for Muhamaalai raged again this afternoon between heavily reinforced units of the SLA and LTTE troops that are entrenched on the A9 south of Eluthumadduval.

Meanwhile, the SLA pulled out more troops from the Valigamam division in northwestern Jaffna to beef up its positions in the southern sector where the Tigers are pouring in more troops and armaments to capture more ground and cut off the only viable supply line to the Elephant Pass base.

The army camp at the Paththirakaaliamman temple in Chulipuram was pulled out yesterday. Troops were also transferred to the front from SLA camps in Sankanai and Vaddukoddai. All army positions between Varani and Pt.Pedro on the Kodikamam road have been pulled out too.

The TamilNet's Vadamaradchi correspondent said that an attempt by the army to advance from its base at Nagar Kovil towards the coast held by the Tigers was not successful. He said that Kfir jets bombed the area south of Nagar Kovil.

The Operational headquarters of Sri Lanka's Defence Ministry said in its 15.30 press communique today that four soldiers were killed in action and four officers and 72 soldiers were wounded at Muhamaalai yesterday. The following is the MoD press communique on yesterday's fighting on the A9 -

"April 2 around 11 a.m. troops conducted an operation in Muhamalai area between Kodikamam and Pallai in order to destroy terrorists operating in that area. Troops encircled the area and approximately 75 terrorist cadres are believed to be trapped within the cordon. Terrorists engaged the location with heavy volume of artillery. Around 6.30 p.m terrorists trapped inside launched a counter attack to breach the cordon in order to send the trapped terrorist cadres and casualties out of the cordon".

"Two armoured tanks were damaged due to terrorist RPG and Artillery fire. One tank which was bogged down was destroyed by own troops. Monitored terrorist transmission confirm more than 25 terrorists were killed during the day. 04 soldiers were killed in action. 02 officers and 35 soldiers were wounded. 02 officers and 37 soldiers have received minor injuries are being treated at Palali army base hospital."