Artillery duel in northern front, civilian shot dead in Chaavakachcheari

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 September 2007, 11:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched heavy artillery fire Thursday morning from their northern Front Line positions in Mukamaalai and Ki'laali in Thenmaraadchi across the lagoon stretch towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territories. The LTTE retaliated with heavy artillery fire and the exchanges are continuing, sources in Thenmaraadchi said. Meanwhile, two armed men on motorcycle shot dead Thursday a civilian on his way to Chaavakachcheari hospital in Thenmaraadchi Thursday.

The body of the victim is yet to be identified.

The killers followed the victim riding on his bicycle to Chaavakachcheari hospital, and shot him dead at point blank range in an area heavily guarded by SLA troops.

No information is available on the casualty or injury details in the artillery duel going on in the northern front.

SLA has increased artillery and mortar fire on LTTE held areas recently. SLA has also been launching minor scale infiltration attempts at places including Changupiddy and Kearatheevu areas across Ki'lali lagoon.

The LTTE has repulsed these attempts of advance, and retaliated to the artillery fire.

The SLA, anticipating a major LTTE offensive prior to November Heroes' Day Address by LTTE leader Pirapaharan, is engaged in preemptive attacks in a small scale hoping to destroy LTTE strategic preparations, sources in Jaffna speculated.