SLA offensive near Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 September 2000, 06:53 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army launched another operation to expand its area of control northwest of Chavakachcheri from the early hours of the morning around 1.30 a.m. military sources in Jaffna said.

The operation appears to be aimed at breaking the pincer of the Liberation Tigers above Chavakachcheri town which was captured by the SLA last week in an operation code named Kiniheera sources said.

Sri Lankan defence ministry said 13 soldiers were killed and 45 wounded in the offensive which ended around 9 a.m. today. It further said that 17 Tigers were also killed in the fighting.

The LTTE has not commented on the fighting.