Tigers advance further in Jaffna - VoT

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2000, 11:15 GMT]
The advancing troops of the Liberation Tigers captured the Sri Lanka army positions defending the approaches to Chavakachcheri, Jaffna peninsula's second largest town, the Voice of Tigers said in its noon special news broadcast today. The special forces of the Tigers had advanced on multiple fronts to interdict the third supply route from Palaly to the government troops in the Thenmaradchi division in Jaffna's southern sector since midnight the radio said.

The SLA army camp in the premises of the Madduvil school and its environs was overrun the VoT said.

The Sri Lanka army positions in Madduvil Panrithalaichchi Amman Kovil, Kanakampuliyadi junction, Madduvil Sivan Kovilady, Sarasalai and Madduvil junction were overrun according to the radio. These positions are in the southeastern sector of the road from Puthtur to Sarasalai. Puththur is on the road from Jaffna town to Pt.Pedro. It is less than eight kilometers as the crow flies from the Sri Lankan army's Palaly base complex.

The latest advance of the Liberation Tigers in Jaffna, according to the VoT, threatens to cut off all supply lines to the Sri Lanka army troops in Jaffna's southern sector. The SLA has four garrisons in Kilali, Kodikamam, Kachchai and Chavakachcheri in the Thenmaradchi division.

With the fall of Sarasalai and Madduvil, the Kodikamam - Varani road remains the main viable supply route for the troops in Thenmaradchi. This road is also in imminent danger of being completely interdicted by the Tigers who have advanced into areas very close to it.

Meanwhile, a large number of civilians in the SLA controlled parts of the Thenmaradchi division have moved out into villages and towns of Vadamaradchi in Jaffna northeastern sector sources said.