Saturday, June 23, 2007

Three Tigers killed as LTTE boat explodes

At least three LTTE cadres were killed when the rebels detonated an explosive-laden boat off Nilaveli Sea north of Trincomalee yesterday morning, while the army recovered 15 decomposed bodies of Tigers who perished during a battle in Thoppigala last week.

A navy spokesman said sailors on patrol detected a suspicious boat among some fishing boats and while they tried to check the boat carrying three members it had exploded killing all three on board.

Later the Navy found the body of a female Tiger cadre among the dead.

The navy said it was only on Thursday that some restrictions which had been imposed on fishing were relaxed for the benefit of fishermen. “However, no sooner they were relaxed , the LTTE had attempted to take advantage of the situation by disguising themselves as fishermen and using the situation for their own terrorist activities,” he said.

In Thoppigala, the army said it believed there would be more bodies of LTTE cadres in addition to the recovery of 15 bodies. The military said more than 30 Tigers were killed during the battle.

Six T-56 weapons, one grenade launcher, two Rocket Propeller Guns (RPG), two Multi Purpose Machine Guns (MPMG), ninety-six Anti- Personnel Mines (APM) and several other warlike items were also found from the surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, three LTTE cadres were killed while another committed suicide and four T-56 assault rifles were recovered in two separate incidents yesterday when troops on patrol were confronted by LTTE cadres in Jaffna.

(http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/06/23/front/4.asp)

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