By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops have captured fresh territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as well as a strategically important Sea Tiger base in the northwestern Mannar district, the defence ministry announced Wednesday.
The army had reached Vidataltivu, 20 km north of Mannar, the northwestern coast of the island nation, a defence ministry statement said.
“Vidataltivu is the biggest township… and used by the terrorists as their main Sea Tiger base and the logistic hub in the west,” the ministry said, describing it as a “fatal blow” to the LTTE.
“This is the first time after the departure of Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987 that troops have dominated the area,” the statement added.
In a separate report, the ministry claimed late Tuesday that at least 30 LTTE guerrillas had been killed around the Vidataltivu area.
There was no immediate reaction from the rebels.