Chinese Arms to bolster Jayasikurui - Radio

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A weapon ship from China is proceeding towards Sri Lanka to beef up the local military before Operation Jayasikurui's final push towards Kilinochchi, according to Voice of Tigers broadcast (VOT) last night.

The Radio said that the Deputy Minister of Defence Anuruddha Ratwatte told the chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force that the offensive to capture A-9 highway will commence three days after Thaipongal (Tamil festival takes place on January 14) and that he was confident that the A-9 highway would be dominated by the SLA 20 days.

In view of the offensive, it was decided , according to the VOT, that an additional 10,000 troops would be deployed with the 25,000 presently engaged in Operation Jayasikuri in the Vanni.

The arms ship from China is expected to augment military supplies in preparation for the offensive.

Operation Jayasikurui which began in May last year is the longest military operation in a civil war in the South Asian region.

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