Mine weeding in Pallai yields 25000

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 July 2002, 16:43 GMT]
The de-mining unit of the Liberation Tigers removed more than 25 thousand mines and unexploded ordnance from the general area of Pallai in Jaffna since March this year. The head of the LTTE's de-mining unit in Pallai, Mr. Kunaratnaraj Jeyananthan, about half the area of the Pachchilaipillai Division, in which the war ravaged town is situated, has been cleared of mines.

He said that his unit has cleared most of the town centre but is still de-mining and detecting unexploded ordnance in the premises of the Pallai Central College. He said that the unit is able to remove about 1000 mines a day.

The following, according to Mr. Jeyananthan, are the details of the mines and unexploded ordnance recovered in the Pallai area since March.

1. Anti-personnel mines 3840

2. 60 mm shells 14000

3. 82 mm shells 2500

4. 81 mm shells 2200

5. 40 mm shells more than 700

6. Grenades 1140

7. Rifle grenades 520