Doubts over SLA claims

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Tamil Eelam Radio, the commercial broadcast of the Voice of Tigers, said in its evening broadcast today that the fighting in the Paranthan Kilinochchi area continues to rage for the second day. Hence, no clear details of the battle are available as yet it said. The Radio said that the SLAF is continuing with retaliatory strikes against civilian targets in the Vanni today.
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MoD blocks UNHCR office

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Moves by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to build a new office, 4 km east of Mallavi, are being stalled by officials in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), said UNHCR sources in Vavuniya. The MoD is delaying approval for building materials to be transported to Mallavi for construction work to begin.
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Heavy casualties at Paranthan - SLA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army claimed today that they had recaptured the Paranthan Base which came under three pronged assault by the Liberation Tigers, from 1.30 a.m. in the early hours of the morning today.
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LTTE says Kilinochchi assault continues

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VOT) said in their night broadcast today that the attack on Kilinochchi continues. The Tigers, according to the VOT, had launched a heavy artillery barrage on the Kilinochchi-Paranthan base.
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Tigers attack SLA truck

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Four SLA soldiers were killed and four were wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked a military truck near the 18th mile post on the Vavuniya - Mannar road last night around 9.00 p.m.
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Army bans civilians from leaving Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The government decided to completely ban civilians from the LTTE controlled parts of the Vanni unless for very special reasons according to new strict regulations which came into affect from today. No civilians from the LTTE controlled parts of the Vanni will henceforth be permitted to enter Vavuniya.
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SLA claims 4 Tigers killed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The SLA claimed today that it killed 4 Liberation Tigers, including two women members, who had infiltrated its defence at Nedunkerni around 2.30 p.m.
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Mud flies in Jaffna campaigns

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The propaganda for the Jaffna local polls took an acrimonious turn with the main contenders attacking each other of human rights abuses and corruption. The PLOTE put out a pamphlet today accusing the EPDP of massacring 72 Tamil youths who were taken away by the group when it moved into Allaipiddy, in the island of Kayts with the Sri Lankan army in late 1990.
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SLAF says LTTE boats destroyed

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan airforce claimed today that its Kfir bombers had blown up five water jets belonging to the Liberation Tigers in the Mullaithivu lagoon around noon yesterday.
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Several arrests in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
21 people were arrested in 3 separate incidents in Vavuniya on Monday and Tuesday said sources in Vavuniya.
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Teenage refugee assaulted in SLA camp

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A girl arrested by the SLA from the refugee camp at Poonthottam in Vavuniya on Sunday January 18 and released last morning was admitted to the Vavuniya hospital with complaints of internal pains later.
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Civilian movement into Vavuniya discouraged

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Civilians of Mannar visiting Vavuniya town were refused the normal one week pass today by the Sri Lankan Police. Instead the Police said that only one day passes to stay in Vavuniya could be granted to them from today.
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Tigers still said holding Kanakarayan Kulam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Troops of Operation Jayasikurui ('Victory Assured' in Sinhalese) contrary to Sri Lanka Government (SLG) claim last week that Kanakarayan Kulam had come under the military's control, are still two kilometers from the strategic town on the A-9 and have to cross Kanakarayan Aaru (river), to reach their goal, said sources in Vavuniya today.
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Crooked cops arrested - with stolen goods

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Police officer and three Police constables were arrested near Anuradhapura on Tuesday January 13 while transporting furniture and electrical goods removed from the homes of Tamil civilians who fled Omanthai, six kilometers north of Vavuniya, in May last year when the SLA launched Operation Jayasikurui to take control of the Vavuniya - Jaffna highway.
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Thousand detained in Vavuniya round up

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than one thousand Tamil civilians were detained in a massive search operation by the Sri Lankan Army and the Police in Vavuniya and its suburbs today.
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MoD reiterates claim

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan army sources in Vavuniya reiterated today that a group of special commandos had broken through the defences of the Liberation Tigers at Kanakarayan Kulam yesterday.
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Two navy personnel killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked a Listening Post ahead of Operation Jayasikurui defences at Periyamadu last night killing two Navy personnel deployed there.
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SLA claims strategic junction is captured

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army said that troops of Operation Jayasikurui captured the strategic Kanakarayan Kulam junction this afternoon.
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ICRC office robbed, guard killed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Unidentified persons broke into the Vavuniya branch office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the early hours of the morning today after tying up and knifing to death the security who was on duty there.
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Transit clearance arrangements changed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Any civilians coming from the LTTE controlled Vanni into areas held by the Sri Lankan Army via Uyilankulam will be sent directly to Vavuniya from today rather than having to wait in Mannar for clearance, said Kachcheri sources in Vavuniya.
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