[ad#200×200]LTTE met with another defeat, to be humiliated again in the Northern waters, in its failed suicide boat attack this morning (Oct 22), targeting two merchant vessels with essential food supplies to the Jaffna peninsula. This is not an isolated attack but part of the clear strategy of the LTTE to bounce back from the inevitable defeat in the theatres of battle.
What lies beneath in this is: 1. An LTTE’s strategy to starve the civilian community in Jaffna, giving rise to agitation among the populace. 2. To inflame the pro-LTTE sentiments in TN at the cost of Tamil civilians, expecting a lifeline from TN extremists before the fall of Wanni. 3. If the attack had being successful, to gain a moral boost followed by a skeleton ceasefire demanding a de facto recognition as negotiators for the Tamils 4. To force the government to open the A-9 main road, a main source of funding and supply for the outfit and land access to the peninsula.
The latest LTTE suicide boat attack targeting two merchant vessels with essential cargo to Jaffna civilians comes within a week after LTTE shelled a UN food convoy to the Internally Displaced in Mullaittivu and Kilinochchi.
The LTTE’s attempt to ram the merchant vessels ended with chaos, as the terrorists lost 2 suicide craft, while another was seized by the naval FACs. According to defence observers, LTTE has made clear its intentions to cause a civilian catastrophe in the eve of its inevitable defeat at Wanni, in the hope of misleading the International Community. The outfit calling itself the saviours of the Tamil people has unmasked itself, only to cause death, destruction and misery to thousands of Tamils in the three-decade long conflict, defence observers state.
Another factor that raised interests at defence desks is that the failure of the sea tigers to pierce through the naval line of control consistently, bringing due credit for the SLN for its improvised strategies and constant vigilance. Earlier, on 18th September, LTTE sea units suffered a heavy blow when Navy unleashed its new combat squadron boats: RABS, destroying 10 LTTE craft and killing over 25 terrorists in a sea battle, off Nachchikuda at Valaipadu. httpv://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YLmbRf1g7VQ
LTTE claims “sinking” the MVs:
“Two big explosions were heard in the seas off Kaankeasanthu’rai Harbour in Jaffna around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers fired rockets from their coastal positions in Vadamaraadchi North…,” reported pro-LTTE news sources, who in their second leads followed the news with the destruction of a MV in the suicide attack.
“The supply ship was sunk and another vessel, MV Ruhunuwa, sustained heavy damages,” the sources reported. Some foreign media elements also clutched on to the LTTE propaganda version reporting same, only later to realise being hoodwinked.
The LTTE’s attempt at spin on the situation boomeranged as images from the confrontation site were posted within hours of the incident. Despite its array of efforts to whitewash the LTTE, following the failed attack on the two MV with essential cargo, pro-LTTE media declared the death of two suicide terrorists including a senior female cadre (Ilakkiyaa).
-Defence.lk-