STF, SF operation in LTTE held villages in east

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 October 2001, 05:59 GMT]
The Special Task Force and Sri Lanka army Special Forces began an operation into areas held by the Liberation Tigers southwest of Batticaloa town from the early hours of morning Tuesday. Two main groups of Sri Lankan security forces moved into the villages of Palugamam, Periyaporathivu, Kovitporathivu and Munaithivu, sources said. A timber shed was set on fire amid sporadic gunfire in areas which the STF and SF entered this morning. No major confrontation was reported until noon.

The army SF and STF groups moved into the LTTE held region from the 39th colony area to the west through Vaalakaalai and from Mandur, 34 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa. The STF has a camp in Mandur.

Civilians were stopped from leaving or going into the target zones of the SF, STF operations.

Meanwhile, the SLA cordoned off and searched several suburbs of Batticaloa town from this morning. Residents were herded to designated areas and were questioned and their identity documents were checked. Houses were searched.