Five Tigers killed in STF operation

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 1999, 09:28 GMT]
The Special Task Force (STF) said this morning that five Liberation Tigers were killed when it attacked an LTTE camp deep in the Kanjikudichcha Aaru jungles in the south-eastern part Sri Lanka in the early hours of the morning today.

The bodies of the dead Tigers will be handed over to the LTTE through the ICRC later in the day said the STF.



A statement issued by the STF on the operation states:

"On 9/2/99, 3 hours STF personnel attached to Arugambay, Thirukkovil, Rotakulam, Sangamaankandi and Kaanjirangkudah led by chief inspectors Sylvester Wijesinghe, Rathanapitiya and the PCs from the respective camps carried out an operation on an LTTE forward base at Pitugala, Thirukkovil meter map grid no.138057 in Kanjikudichcha Aaru jungle in the Ampara district. In the ensuing battle, five LTTE terrorists were killed."

The STF said that it had recovered a radio set, binoculars, a T-81 assault rifle, a T-56 assault rifle, 22 grenades, 495 rounds of G-3 ammunition, 510 rounds of T-81 ammunition and a large stock of provisions.

Eleven Tigers were seriously wounded the STF claimed, quoting monitored LTTE transmissions.

The STF is an elite commando force deployed mainly in the southern parts of the Batticaloa district and the coastal areas of the Ampara district.