13 SLA soldiers killed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Atleast 13 Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 37 wounded when the military bus they were traveling in hit a land mine, at Cheddikulam this afternoon, said SLA sources. The injured have been sent to Anuradhapura and Madawachi hospitals.
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Senior SLA officer killed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Brigadier Larry Wijeratne, Commander of the SLA's Pt. Pedro garrison, was killed and three others wounded when his vehicle was destroyed by a suicide bomber, in Pt. Pedro town 32 km north of Jaffna, around 3:30 p.m today, said sources in Jaffna.
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Priest's manoeuvres provoke fury

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
In a hard-hitting public statement, Chelliyan Perinpanayakam, Mayor of Batticaloa, called for the removal of all sentry points and bunkers in the Batticaloa town if the environment was to remain clean, said sources.
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Indian official refuses to be drawn

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. R K Sachdeva, Political Officer, Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka, said that the Indian Government was prepared to assist in the rehabilitation of the war torn areas and contribute to improving the health and education services in Jaffna, but declined to comment on whether India would play an active role in bringing about a settlement to the ethnic conflict, said sources in Jaffna.
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Funeral procession for PLOTE casualties

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The bodies of PLOTE cadres killed in a land mine attack yesterday were taken in a procession through Vavuniya today, said sources there.
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A long year on the road

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Exactly one year ago, the Sri Lankan military began the largest military campaign in its history. Preceded by a massive artillery and aerial bombardment, over 20,000 Sri Lankan troops, led by elite Special Forces, broke out of their fortifications at Vavuniya and Manal Aru and pushed into the LTTE-controlled Vanni. The Sri Lankan government had much riding on the outcome of the operation, optimistically code-named 'Jaya Sikirui' ('Victory Assured' in Sinhala).
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LTTE plans celebrations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will celebrate the stalling of Operation Jayasikurui, on its first anniversary, on 12, 13 and 14 May at Kokkadichcholai and Iluppadichenai in the LTTE controlled areas west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Security forces celebrate Wesak

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Wesak lantern competition began last night at Batticaloa's Weber Stadium with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka AirForce (SLAF) and the Sri Lankan police participating, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Seven killed in Vavuniya blast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Five members of the People's Liberation Orgainsation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including its military wing leader for the Vavuniya district, Thas, alias Sinnathas, were killed and 6 others wounded, when a claymore mine exploded this afternoon. Two bystanders were also killed and two others were wounded, said police sources in Vavuniya.
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Burglars operating during curfew

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The suburbs of Trincomalee town such as Anbuvelipuram, Chelvanayakapuram and Alles Gardens have been terrorised during the past few weeks by an armed gang of burglars who break into houses between 11:30 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., said sources in Trincomalee.
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Deserter commits suicide on return to front

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
S. Shanthakumar (27), of Hikkaduwa, a deserter with criminal charges against him, who was arrested and sent to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp at Sittandy, 25 km north of Batticaloa, committed suicide by shooting himself yesterday, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Tigers shell Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Areas within the Batticaloa town - the Batticaloa airport, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) headquarters adjacent to it, and the security complex and government buildings at Weber Stadium, were shelled from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas today around 6:00 p.m., said sources in Batticaloa. There were no casualties.
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Civilians caught in SLA fire

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A girl was killed and at least two others injured when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired at random, immediately after a claymore mine blast killed five members of the Peoples' Liberation Organisation Tamil Eelam's (PLOTE), including Das, its local military commander in the Vauniya District, said sources.
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Till the other side cracks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan military's widespread and indiscriminate use of artillery and air power is arguably the major cause of civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka. In the past few years, the Sri Lankan military has repeatedly up-gunned its forces with ever larger caliber field guns, with more numerous aircraft that are capable of carrying heavier payloads and more heavily armed naval craft.
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STF restrictions to hit trade

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Special Task Force (STF), of the Sri Lankan Police warned people in the Eastern Batticaloa district, that those who contribute money and render other assistance to the Liberation Tigers would be arrested and severely punished, as the Sri Lankan Government has proscribed the LTTE.
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Youths shot in Pulmoddai

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
One Tamil youth was killed and two Muslim youths were wounded when Sri Lankan Army troops opened fire in Pulmoddai, north of Trincomalee, Friday night, said sources.
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Poor response to latest amnesty

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) Commander, Maj. General R.Daluwatte said today that 5000 SLA deserters had accepted the general amnesty and had returned to their duties during the period the amnesty had been offered to SLA deserters. However, SLA sources in Colombo said the actual response was far less than the official figure.
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Eight LTTE fighters killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Seven LTTE fighters died in two different accidental explosions yesterday in the Vanni said Voice of Tigers (VOT) in its night transmisssion today.
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Aid to be monitored - UN official

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict, stated at a press conference yesterday, that both parties to the conflict had to come together if a solution to the ethnic problem is to be found.
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New restrictions on Vadamaradchi East

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army had imposed severe restrictions on taking notebooks, pens and other writing materials into Vadmaradchi east since May 6. Each person is allowed to take only two pens and one notebook through the SLA check point at Vallipuram.
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