Fighting erupts near Batticaloa town

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2000, 21:50 GMT]
Heavy fighting erupted close to the Batticaloa this evening when the Liberation Tigers shelled the Sri Lanka army camp on the approach to the Sri Lanka Air Force base southwest of the town. Mi 24 Helicopter gunships were sent in to strafe the positions of the Tiger troops ahead of the Vavunathivu camp late in the evening today. The Tigers returned fire and continued to shell and fire on the camp sources in batticaloa said.

The town is tense following the bombarding and counter shelling they said. The Tigers fired mortars on the SLAF base, the Vavunathivu camp and the 23-3 brigade headquarters in Batticaloa town last night and around noon today.

The Vavunathivu SLA camp is situated by the lagoon about 4 kilometers southwest of the Batticaloa town. It guards the Valaiyiravu bridge that links the LTTE controlled western hinterland of the Batticaloa district to the town. It also serves as a forward defence to the SLAF base and runway.

The SLA has been bombarding the LTTE held Paduvaankarai region across the lagoon heavily from the 23-3 brigade headquarters since yesterday.