Artillery duel in Northern Front, SLA closes roads to transport casualties in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 December 2008, 15:07 GMT]
Clashes between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which began with an SLA offensive advance through Ki’aali Tuesday around 1:20 a.m continued through the day with artillery duels and gunfire exchanges, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopters were seen engaged in transporting casualties and injured soldiers while Kandy road and Palaali road were blocked several times during the day enabling ambulances to carry the dead and injured to Palaali SLA hospital. The SLA has suffered considerable loss of lives and injuries to many, sources close to SLA said.

Both sides kept up artillery barrage. The SLA directed Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) on LTTE territory. SLAF fighter jets too were engaged in bombing LTTE held areas while gunfire exchanges were heard from the area, Thenmaraadchi residents said.

The SLA attempt to penetrate and advance into LTTE held positions had not been successful, sources close to SLA said.

SLAF helicopters kept flying above Vallaive’li in Vadamaraadchi as well as along the coast of Jaffna lagoon and over other areas in Jaffna peninsula raising fear and anxiety among its residents.

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