By IRNA
New Delhi : At least 31 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres and a soldier were killed in clashes in the embattled northern Sri Lanka even as Air force fighter jets Friday pounded a strategic Tiger location in rebel-dominated Kilinochchi region.
“Air Force jet aircraft pounded a meeting place of LTTE militants South of Piramanthlakulam in Puthukudiyirippu today,” PTI reported here quoting Sri Lankan defence ministry, adding pilots confirmed the target was successfully hit.
The targeted location was identified as a key Tiger base where most of the LTTE top brass used to visit regularly to discuss international activities of the outfit, the defence ministry said, quoting intelligence sources.
Sri Lanka Air Force raided the same place last April in which Kalaialagan, the second In-Command of the LTTE’s coordinating centre for international activities and who was given a self-styled “Lt Colonel” rank, was killed, it said.
In ground battles, at least four Tiger rebels were killed Friday morning when troops launched an attack at the advancing cadres in Muhamalai in Jaffna Peninsula.
A soldier was also injured in an anti-personnel mine explosion in the area.
As many as 10 militants, including a LTTE leader identified as “Savithri”, were killed at Periyakurittikulam in Vavuniya district Friday, the defence ministry said in a statement.
While six LTTE rebels were killed in Kudirvittankulam village, two cadres were killed by security forces in Periyapandivirichchan in the district, it said.
As many as seven militants were gunned down by Lanka army in Kallikulam Friday, the ministry said.