SLA thrust repulsed near Mankulam - VoT

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said in its night broadcast today that the Liberation Tigers had attacked and repulsed SLA troops who had attempted to advance towards Moondu Murippu, west of Mankulam. The radio said that fighting had erupted around 11.30 a.m. yesterday.

The VoT said that 25 SLA soldiers were killed and 130 were wounded in the Tiger counter-attack.

The Liberation Tigers had launched a heavy artillery barrage on the SLA near Moondu Murippu.

Moondu Murippu is a village 7 km southwest of Mankulam, on the interior jungle road that leads up to Mallavi.

The Liberation Tigers, according to the radio, recovered the bodies of 3 SLA soldiers who were killed in the fighting.

2 members of the Liberation Tigers were also killed, said the radio further. The radio gave their names as follows: Isaivaanan (Aarumugam Thavarajah, Kilinochchi) and Sukunanan (Sivalingam Ramu, Ampara).

The Liberation Tigers, according to the radio, recovered the following weapons from the SLA: 3 light machine guns, 3 assault rifles, 2 40mm grenade launchers, as well as ammunition for the weapons. 3 bullet proof jackets were also recovered.

The VoT also said that Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) had attacked 3 fishing boats off the Pulmoddai coast yesterday and that one homeguard was killed in the Vellaveli area, south west of Batticaloa.

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