FIERCE FIGHTING that continued in TERANKANDAL, AKKRAYANKULAM area, northeast of NACHCHIKUDA Tuesday (2) as troops started moving forward smashed an LTTE bunker line capturing another patch of about 400 meters. Tiger terrorists in return launched four counter attacks against the troops but the troops overpowered their threat.

During this pitched confrontation, troops killed at least ten terrorists and injured thirteen more. Later on, troops searched the area and found two dead bodies, one female and a male belonging to Tigers. Two T-56 weapons and thirty-five 81 mm bombs were also traced from the affected area. Thirty-one brave soldiers sustained injuries during these clashes and were evacuated to hospitals.

Meanwhile, Task Force I troops fighting in NACHCHIKUDA, KUNCHIKULAM areas to the west of MANKULAM on Tuesday (2) inflicted death on at least seventeen Tigers during confrontations. About eighteen Tiger terrorists have received injuries in those clashes, according to confirmed reports.

Five valiant soldiers sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country and seventeen brave soldiers received injuries during those clashes. Seven brave soldiers have gone missing while resisting terrorist threats in NACHCHIKUDA areas.

One T-56 weapon, one anti tank mine, twelve booby traps and thirty anti personnel mines were found from the possession of dead Tigers.

In the meantime, WELIOYA sector fighting against terrorists in ANDANKULAM on Tuesday (2) killed six Tigers and injured about eleven more throughout the day. A search conducted afterwards found forty-eight LTTE anti personnel mines from the area, believed to have been brought by Tigers to detonate against advancing troops.

Similarly, clashes that erupted in the north of PALAMODDAI in the VAVUNIYA sector killed nineteen terrorists and injured twenty-three more, according to ground sources. Troops also were able to recover five anti personnel mines and one LTTE intercom set from those areas. One soldier paid with his life and one more received injuries during the encounter.

Army.lk