By Bernama,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government troops captured a main base cum logistic hub of Tamil Tiger rebels in the northern Mannar district Wednesday morning, China’s Xinhua news agency reported quoting a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence.
The troops liberated the strategically important Vidattaltivu town, which is the main Sea-Tiger base cum the logistic hub of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north western coast, the statement said.
“This is the first time after the departure of Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1990 that (the) troops have dominated the area,” it added.
The statement also said that the lost of Vidattaltivu would cast a fatal blow on the LTTE as it has lost the most important Sea-Tiger base in the present context.
“The terrorists have no other option than to shift their Sea-Tiger assets to a makeshift camp further northwards with the lost of its well-established sea borne operation base,” the statement quoted defense analysts as saying.
Having taken control of the whole Eastern Province from the LTTE in July 2007, the troops are currently battling the LTTE in the north with the aim of totally crushing the organisation.
The LTTE has been fighting against the government since the mid-1980s aimed at establishing an independent homeland for the country’s minority Tamils, which claimed the lives of more than 70,000 people.