Four STF commandos killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 1999, 16:27 GMT]
Four Special Task Force Comandos (STF) were killed and nine wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked the STF camp at Kurukkalputhukulam in Poovarasankulam on the Vavuniya-Mannar road, about 30 km. west of Vavuniya at around 5 p.m. this evening.

The Tigers attacked the STF camp with mortars. The wounded STF personel have been transferred to the Anuradhapura hospital, about 45 km. south of Vavuniya.

According to the hospital sources, following five are seriously wonded: Wickrema 29, Wickremasinghe 24, Gunanayake 35, Seneviratne 29 and Mendis 30.

Police sources in Vavuniya said the attack was repulsed and they recovered the body of an LTTE member.

According to initial reports, a 12 year old girl, Vanitha of Kurukkaloor in the Poovarasankulam, was wounded in the cross-fire.

Meanwhile two policemen were wounded in a grenade attack in Valaichenai in eastern Batticaloa this evening.

According to sources at the Batticaloa hospital four civilians were seriously wounded in police retaliatory fire.

The wounded civilians have been admitted at the hospital, they added.