Tigers advance on twin fronts

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2000, 21:41 GMT]
In a twin fronted assault, the Liberation Tigers have advanced deep into Sri Lanka Army (SLA) held territory in the Jaffna peninsula, the LTTE said Tuesday. Tiger forces have advanced from earlier captured positions into the Chavakachcheri sector and are attacking the SLA base at Kaithady having overrun SLA defences at Navatkuli, the LTTE said in a statement from its London offices. LTTE forces have also smashed SLA defences at Pasaiyur and Kurunagar in the outskirts of Jaffna city, the statement said further.

Following is the full text of the press release:

"The decisive battle for Jaffna resumed with great intensity as heavily armed combat formations of the Liberation Tigers opened up two frontal offensive assault last night in the coastal belt of the Jaffna city and in the Chavakachcheri sector.

"The advancing LTTE forces engaged the Sri Lankan troops in a bloody battle at Pasaiyur and Kurunagar in the municipal outskirts of the city. The Tiger combat units have smashed through the defence lines of the government troops causing heavy casualties to the enemy. Heavy fighting is still raging in that sector.

"In the Chavakachcheri sector, the LTTE fighting units overran Sri Lankan military positions at Navatkuli and Thatchanthoppu last night and brought the entire region under their control. Supported by heavy artillery and mortar fire the LTTE fighters have advanced further into Kaithady and have launched a massive assault on the main military base situated at Kaithady junction. According to latest reports received from the battlefield, the LTTE commando units have broken through the defence perimeters of the military base and ferocious fighting continues in the central sector of the base.

"The operation code-named 'Unceasing Waves 3' for the liberation of the Jaffna peninsula resumed around 5p.m yesterday after a respite of three days during which time the LTTE has been consolidating its newly acquired territory and appealing to the Tamil civilians to move from battle zones to safe areas."

(Please click on the image for larger map.-TamilNet)