SLAF bombs Vanni, DPU Claymore targets civilian bus

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 13:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force Kfir bombers Tuesday morning bombed Vallipunam in Mullaithivu district. No casualties were reported. The air raid was reported at 8:30 a.m., according to LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan. Meanwhile a Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army has detonated a Claymore mine targeting a van carrying civilians from Mallavi to Palappani in Mullaithivu district Tuesday afternoon.
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SLA motor-bike squad abducts 3 farm-workers in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers driving four motorbikes abducted three manual laborers in Kambarmalai in Vadamaradchy Sunday at 11 a.m. while they were doing farm work at a private property, according to complaints registered at the Jaffna Human Rights Commission offices.
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SLA abducts 5 civilians in Chunnakam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:19 GMT]
Three civilians in Chunnakam were abducted by armed Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in uniform in Chunnakam area during the last three days following the claymore attacks in Uduvil and Urelu, officials of the Jaffna Human Rights Commission said. Two civilians were arrested by the SLA following cordon and search operations, bringing the total to five the number of civilians disappearing in Chunnakam area during 4th, 5th and 6th of March, HRC officials said. Meanwhile, another civilian was abducted by armed men in a white van in Eechamoddai coastal town Tuesday morning, according to a complaint registered with the HRC.
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SLAF airman shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:05 GMT]
Unknown gunmen shot dead a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airman Tuesday around 3:00 p.m near the Mosque junction along Vavuniya-Horowapothana road in Vavuniya, sources from Vavuniya said.


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Norwegian team visits key institutions in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 11:23 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar, and other officials visited Kilinochchi Hospital, Education officials and the North East Secretariat of Human Rights office in Kilinochchi Monday around 3:30 p.m, and held discussions on current issues related to people's medical needs, education and human rights, sources in Kilinochchi said.


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SLA arrests seven youths in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 00:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested seven youths during searches conducted in connection with the claymore attacks Saturday night in Uduvil area and Sunday night at Kothiyalady in Chunnakam, according to complaints registered by three of the youths' family members with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Monday.
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SLA readies for Manalaru offensive, Tigers warn of bloodbath

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 12:07 GMT]
"We are aware that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has amassed military hardware close to Manalaru in preparation for a major offensive towards Mullaitivu area. Consequence of this offensive will be a catastrophic bloodbath across Sri Lanka," said Mr. Thamilchelvan, Head of LTTE Political Wing, speaking to TamilNet after meeting the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar and Norwegian Embassy official Erik Nuremberg, in Kilinochchi Monday.


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Two SLA troopers, officer killed in second claymore attack in Uduvil area

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 03:42 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and an officer of the Intelligence unit were killed in a claymore attack targeting the vehicle carrying them, near Kothiyaladi between Maruthanamadam junction and Chnnakam along KKS road, Sunday night during curfew hours, according to sources in Jaffna. The SLA soldiers in the vehicle had rushed to the place where unknown gunmen were exchanging fire with the SLA soldiers for more than 15 minutes, the sources added. The excange of fire took place between the gunmen and the troopers of the SLA camp located close to the major SLA camp along KKS road.
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Two soldiers killed in vehicle accident in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 23:04 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in as part of a military convoy along Palaly road towards Palaly Military base allegedly collided with another vehicle near Kurumbasiddy, Punnalaikadduvan Saturday night. Ms. Sarojini Ilankovan, the Mallaham District Judge, visited the scene of the accident Sunday and conducted the death inquests. Convoys often travel at great speed due to the threat of claymore mines, according to sources in Jaffna. The accident happened during curfew hours.
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2 Karuna cadres injured in Batticaloa attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 22:05 GMT]
Two cadres of paramilitary Karuna group were injured when their camp the located at Mylambavely adjoining the Sri Lanka Army camp along Trinco road came under attack at 7:05 p.m. Sunday. Four Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staying in the nearby school building were injured in the counter attack. All six injured persons were rushed to the Batticaloa teaching hospital for treatment, sources in Batticaloa said.
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SLA arrests Tamil civilian in Kinniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 12:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Saturday arrested a Tamil youth, Ponniah Satyaraj, a resident of Poovarasanthivu in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district, following the recovery of a live claymore mine along Alankerni-Poovarasanthu road Friday evening, sources in Trincomalee said.
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SLA vehicle feared damaged in Uduvil Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 04:08 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vehicle is feared to have sustained severe damages, and an unknown number of SLA soldiers from the intelligence wing were feared injured or killed in a claymore attack triggered by unknown men at 8:45 p.m. Saturday near Uduvil junction in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Although the SLA claimed that the explosion occurred after the vehicle has passed the area few minutes earlier, local residents said that there was evidence of blood and shattered glass fragments indicating serious vehicle damage and injuries to personnel.
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Acrimony flares, US says diplomats not LTTE’s target

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 00:13 GMT]
Amid growing acrimony within the Sri Lankan government over the LTTE mortar attack Tuesday on military helicopters carrying foreign ambassadors and UN officials to Batticaloa district, the American ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert O. Blake, contradicted Colombo’s assertion that the Tigers had tried to assassinate the diplomats. Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary says the diplomats should share the blame for the near-disaster for asking to visit Batticaloa. He slammed as “interference” attempts by foreign dignitaries and NGOs to visit the war torn Northeast.


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2 SLA soldiers die in grenade attack in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 07:48 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed when unidentified persons threw a grenade on a SLA patrol unit at Namalwatte in the Morawewa division, around 10 p.m, Friday. The attack occured on the Trincomalee-Anuradhapura main road, about 24 km. northwest of the eastern port town,
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SLAF, SLA attacks displace 3500 civilians in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 07:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets dropped bombs in the villages of Tharavai and Kudumbimalai in the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Batticaloa district around 10:40 a.m. Friday, sources in Batticaloa said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed at 23-3 Brigade Head Quarters in Batticaloa, Valaichchenai Paper Factory, Chenkalady, Vavunathivu and Mylambavely Army Camps fired artillery shells into LTTE areas.
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Jaffna fishermen protest fishing limits

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 05:18 GMT]
The fishermen of Pashaiyoor, Gurunagar, Kolumbuththurai and Navanthurai in the Jaffna municipal area protested the limited access to fishing authorized by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) hierarchy and refused to fish Friday, fisheries sources in Jaffna said. The SLA allowed fishermen to fish in shallow waters only up to 500 meters from the shore,
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Jurists charge SL Government forces of extra-judicial killings, torture

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 21:22 GMT]
Anti-terrorism laws in Sri Lanka have led to widespread and systematic rights abuses, a panel of global jurists said on Friday, charging Sri Lanka government forces of extra-judicial killings and torture, Reuters reported in a story datelined 2 March from New Delhi. The panel expressed concern over "extra-judicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions" by troops in the Indian Ocean island nation," the report added. Meanwhile, the Dutch government in a cabinet meeting today decided that "no Tamil asylum seekers would be sent back to Sri Lanka until 1 July," reports in Dutch media said.


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Relative of murdered undergrad shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 19:00 GMT]
More than ten unidentified armed men forcibly entered the house of a young man in Thavalai, Varani in Thenmaradchy Friday around 1:15 a.m and shot him dead, according to a statement given by his parents to Kodikamam police. The victim had tried to escape into the kitchen where he was sprayed with AK-47 fire by the killers who pursued him.
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SL Military strengthens security in Mannar

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:32 GMT]
Additional Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops have been brought into Mannar to man new checkpoints in the town and suburbs, and to conduct frequent road patrols. Pallimunai, Panankattikottu, Uppukulam and Moor Street in Mannar town are being subjected to regular cordon and search operations by the military, civil sources said.
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Eastern University employees released on bail

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 01:20 GMT]
Fourteen security officers employed at Vantharoomoolai Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL), detained by Eravur Police since Jan 31 claymore attack, were released on bail by M.H.M.Amijr, Batticaloa District court Magistrate, when the detainees were produced before the courts Thursday, legal sources in Batticaloa said.


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