One of the close allies of the renegade LTTE military commander Karuna Amman had been ambushed and killed by a group of the Wanni Tigers at Illuppadichenai, on the border of the Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa districts, sources said.
The LTTE claimed the man they killed was Karuna’s brother and his deputy, known as Reggie,
The bloody skirmishes on Tuesday night at Illuppadichenai in Batticaloa between Karuna loyalists and the LTTE’s Wanni cadres lasted for six hours and ended with seven Wanni Tiger cadres and two of Karuna’s men being killed.
Two senior associates of the renegade LTTE commander, Elilan and Sunilan, were also killed in the clashes, sources added.
Three Karuna loyalists were caught in ambush set by the Wanni cadres at Illuppadichenai closer to Karadiya Naru in Maha Oya on Chenkal Adi road around 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
The bodies of the Karuna loyalists were found left at Karadiyanaru area yesterday. The face of one had been mutilated and the LTTE’s Wanni cadres claimed the body was Reggie’s.
Karuna’s faction has denied the LTTE claim that its deputy leader Reggie has been gunned down.
