Govt. rejects claim, reiterates readiness for any eventuality Forces poised for major offensive in north - LTTE

by Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island 10-10-2006

The government yesterday dismissed LTTE claims that security forces were preparing to mount a major offensive in the North.

A senior official emphasized that forces would not initiate action but were geared to meet any eventuality. "We are on a heightened state of alert to thwart any fresh LTTE offensive," he said.

The LTTE launched a major offensive on August 11 evening to wrest control of the Jaffna peninsula. Terrorists initially succeeded in breaking through army frontline but a massive counter attack pushed them back. The Nordic truce monitoring mission accused the LTTE of initiating the offensive, the official said.

The LTTE Saturday urged the monitoring mission to visit the frontline areas to confirm the rapid build-up in the Thennamaratchchi and Vadamarachchi areas.

Pro-LTTE TamilNet quoted LTTE Political Wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvan as saying, "`85 LTTE is concerned of SLMM’s limited access to Muhamalai. An unhindered access is vital for a fair and neutral judgement on the SLA offensive that will likely lead to a full-scale war". He further said that the Tigers, since Co-Chairs call for direct talks and the cessation of hostilities, ceased military operations.

The LTTE has offered the monitoring mission access to its frontline.

Thamilchelvan Friday sent an urgent letter to the Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer, urging the Norwegian facilitator to do everything possible to preserve, what TamilNet termed as, the atmosphere of goodwill.

Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said that the government reserved the right to thwart LTTE aggression. Despite agreeing to meet on October 28 and 29 under the auspices of Norway, security forces and the LTTE exchanged fire. Top brass ordered a series of air strikes on LTTE targets ahead of the Jaffna frontline over the past several days.

In the East, the Artillery Brigade Saturday morning targeted the newly constructed LTTE fortifications west of Muttur. The artillery strike came against the backdrop of an upsurge of fighting in the East.

Heavy fighting broke out in Vakarai early on Friday with both parties accusing each other of initiating the confrontation. The army claimed that troops fired back at LTTE positions at Panichchankerni after the army bases at Mankerni and Kadjuwatte came under mortar and artillery fire. The charge was rejected by the LTTE. The army lost 14 soldiers in action while about 20 suffered injuries. Army acknowledged that the LTTE captured a soldier identified as private Ratnayake. He is the second soldier captured by the LTTE in the recent past.

The fighting comes immediately after the government and the LTTE agreed to hold peace talks at the end of October. However, the two sides have yet to agree to a talks venue. The Tigers favour Oslo, the government favours Geneva.

Of the 14 soldiers, bodies of 12 had been removed by the LTTE. Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said that they were in touch with the ICRC to recover the bodies.

The LTTE claimed that troops advanced into the area under its control. TamilNet claimed that troops from Mankerni army camp advanced into LTTE controlled territory south of Vakarai triggering a fresh exodus of residents. In a subsequent report, the website quoted an LTTE spokesman as saying, "If the monitors did not ensure monitoring access to disputed areas such as Muhamalai in the North, Vakarai in the East, and elsewhere, there is a real danger of escalation of military hostilities."