'Tigers taking heavy beating' - Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya

Vavuniya Security Forces (SF) Commander, Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya shares exclusive comments with The Bottom Line.

Within a period of two weeks, the Army has killed 172 LTTE cadres, and wounded more than 80, Vavuniya Security Forces (SF) Commander, Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, told The Bottom Line, in an exclusive interview. "This count was ascertained by intercepting LTTE communication, as well as observations by our troops. At the same time, the Army lost eight, including 2 officers, with 22 soldiers wounded."

The bodies of Captain Zoysa of the 6 Vijayaba Regiment and Captain Alagiyawathha of the 10 Ceylon Light Infantry who were missing in action, were later handed over to the Army, via the ICRC, while the Army handed over 4 LTTE bodies to the ICRC.

"Compared with the LTTE death toll and wounded, the Army figure is much less," he said.

Maj. Gen. Jayasuriya was adjutant to the late Lt. Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwe, Commanding Officer of the 1st Armoured Corp in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya regions. This region came under the purview of Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya

"My Division Commanders and I (57 Division Commander Brig. Jagath Dias of the Gajaba Regiment, 56 Division Brig. Jagath Rambukpotha of the Artillery Regiment, First Task Force Commander Brig. Charlie Gallage, who is also Brigade Commander of the Commandos and Special Forces Brigade Commander Colonel Nirmal Dharmarathne) have done and continue to implement counter LTTE tactics and strategies.

"I can't disclose military plans because military plans are top secret.

"When we implement our tactics and strategies, the LTTE was surprised and they will be surprised in the future too. I wont' allow them to relax." "At the moment we are conducting our operations in west of Madhu and west of Omanthi, but we keep changing our military plans. We destroyed several LTTE bunkers and we cut off supply routes of the LTTE"

Asking him about the LTTE stronghold in north Mannar, Vidattalthivu, Kaddaddi and A-32 road, he said "the army received accurate intelligence in those LTTE areas and Artillery and MBRL targets were accurately taken. We will be attacking them in the future.

They attacked and continue to attack troops with 122mm Artillery and 80 and 81 mm mortars. Mainly due to this artillery fire, our troops suffered causalities.

Finally, I asked the Ma. Gen. that his target is not a cake walk, because his troops battle terrorists in the jungle. He replied "I will make it a cake walk and my officers and soldiers are trained for jungle warfare and they are skillful officers and soldiers. I am confident of my officers and soldiers and we do have good leadership as well."

A soldier who was wounded in a mortar attack, returned to the battlefront, after his wounds healed. He didn't want to declare his name. I asked him why he returned to the battlefront and he said, "We are heading into the last den of the terrorists. I want to be a part and parcel of this historical victory."

His fellow soldier told me that he welcomed his colleague who showed great determination and courage with a hug and teased him and asked what he brought them from home to eat.

On 8th morning, around 8:30 a.m., in Mannar, the LTTE tried to infiltrate the FDLs in Mannar in north Uliankulam. Vigilant soldiers attacked the LTTE cadres and killed 2 cadres on the spot.

Under heavy fire from the army, the rest of the LTTE cadres fled. In a separate incident, on the same day, troops on a search operation, discovered an underground bunker in Vilattikulam, used for weapons storage, and recovered 46 nos. 82 mm mortars, 23 nos. 60mm mortars, 6,300 rounds of T-56 ammunition and 26 anti personnel mines.

In Vavuniya, Pokkaravant, the army unearthed 600 anti personnel mines. In Jaffna, on the afternoon of 7th and 8th, the LTTE attacked the Muhamalaie FDL with 81mm mortars. The army retaliated.

Brigade commander of 552 Brigade were ordered to dismantle the LTTE mortar position. The Brigade Commander selected soldiers and sent them to attack the LTTE FDL during the night using RPG (rocket propel grenades), grenade launchers and small arms which surprised the LTTE. The troops destroyed six LTTE bunkers. According to LTTE radio transmissions, 6 LTTE cadres died and more than 12 wounded.

On September 25, there was a rehersal of an LTTE passing out parade in Pooneryn. On information of this event Air Force and Army launched an attack and caused heavy casualties.

Recruitment Drive

During this year the army recruited 25,000 soldiers and 75 officer cadets. The army commander gave instructions that all recruits have to train and go through the full training period.

The Army hopes to increase the elite special force to 5000. The STF continued its operation in the thick jungles of Ampara. STF Commandant DIG Nimal Lewke said that the LTTE had exploded a mine targeting STF personnel. As a result one STF member died while two were injured.

DIG Nimal Lewke said "troops marching deep inside the jungle, the main obstacle is antipersonnel mines. The STF defused 524 antipersonnel mines and he further said there are less than 60 LTTE cadres and they divide in to small groups. We are hunting them"

The Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) sank the 10th LTTE ship 800 nautical miles south of Dondra Head, early morning today, SLN spokesman Commander D.K.P. Dadanayake said. The Commander further said that the Sri Lanka Navy received credible intelligence information and their attack ships SLNS Sagara, SLNS Saura and SLNS Saranimala sailed south on October 1, detected the ship on radar and sailed close to the suspected ship.

Early morning on October 7, around 5:30 am, the Navy ships sighted the suspected ship and noticed that it hadn't hoisted any flag. The ship with the name MV Matshusima was 70 metres in length. The Navy communicated with the ship on the international communication channel 16, but there wasn't any response. Instead of radio contact, the LTTE cadres on board, fired with medium-calibre guns at the SLN ship. The Navy retaliated. The battle lasted nearly 3 hours, and at 9:30 am the LTTE ship was sunk. The LTTE ship had onboard water scooters (used for suicide missions), 153 Artillery, GPS, radars, electronic equipment used to monitor Armed Forces communication. The Navy received information that two senior LTTE cadres were onboard.

The SLN has, beyond any doubt, proved its talent and capabilities. One of the officers engaged in the battle, said 'Sri Lanka Navy is no more a brown water Navy, we are a blue water Navy. Though we badly lack resources, we accomplished our mission and we will do so in the future. We are committed and dedicated to our task.

On October 9 Sri Lanka Air Force MiG jets bombed LTTE military installation early in the morning.