Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO1444
2007-10-22 10:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERS ATTACK NORTH CENTRAL AIR
how-toVZCZCXRO5685 OO RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #1444 2951056 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221056Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7045 INFO RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0555 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0473 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 7462 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 5603 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4077 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1473 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 4123 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3216 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 8061 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 5669 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0423 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2384 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001444
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERS ATTACK NORTH CENTRAL AIR
BASE
REF: COLOMBO 1425
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James R. Moore, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001444
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERS ATTACK NORTH CENTRAL AIR
BASE
REF: COLOMBO 1425
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James R. Moore, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) Before daybreak on October 21, the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched a ground attack on the Sri
Lankan Air Force (SLAF) base in Anuradhapura, 210 kilometers
north-east of Colombo. Less than an hour later, two LTTE
light aircraft dropped bombs over the base, hitting an
aircraft hangar. Two MI24 helicopter gunships, a Chinese K8
aircraft, and several other planes, including trainer
aircraft, were damaged. Two military sources indicate that a
King Air 200 was also destroyed. A U.S. defense contractor,
who is in country, was informed by Sri Lankan military
sources that both of the SLAF's unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs),which are not normally kept at the Anuradhapura base,
were also damaged in the attack. Thirteen SLAF personnel
(four officers and nine enlisted men) were killed and as many
as 25 SLAF personnel were injured in the attack, according to
SLAF contacts. The SLAF reports between 10 and 20 LTTE
cadres were killed. Thirty to 40 LTTE cadres, who are
reported to have entered the base in military uniforms, are
believed to have participated in the ground attack. They
were able to travel more than a kilometer across the base to
the hangar area without being detected.
2. (C) In response to the attack, the SLAF launched a Bell
212 helicopter to intercept the LTTE aircraft. The
helicopter crash landed about 15 kilometers from the airbase,
in Mihintale. While publicly the SLAF says the helicopter
crashed due to a technical problem, SLAF contacts tell us
that the helicopter was brought down by friendly fire. The
LTTE aircraft were not intercepted and appear to have
returned safely to LTTE-controlled territory. A power
blackout was implemented in Colombo before dawn as part of
the GSL's contingency plans.
3. (C) COMMENT: The attack, in which several high-value
aircraft were lost or damaged, represents a significant
security lapse on the part of the SLAF. It comes just a week
after the attack on military personnel inside Yala National
Park (reftel),following several months without high profile
LTTE activity outside the Tigers' base in the Vanni.
Anuradhapura is well-known for its ancient Buddhist ruins. In
both cases, the LTTE attacked in or near popular tourist
destinations, but specifically targeted military
installations. While today's attack incurred significant
military losses, we assess that both targets were also chosen
to hurt the tourist industry, without actually injuring
tourists. The one Amcit who currently resides in
Anuradhapura has been contacted and is safe.
MOORE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERS ATTACK NORTH CENTRAL AIR
BASE
REF: COLOMBO 1425
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James R. Moore, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) Before daybreak on October 21, the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched a ground attack on the Sri
Lankan Air Force (SLAF) base in Anuradhapura, 210 kilometers
north-east of Colombo. Less than an hour later, two LTTE
light aircraft dropped bombs over the base, hitting an
aircraft hangar. Two MI24 helicopter gunships, a Chinese K8
aircraft, and several other planes, including trainer
aircraft, were damaged. Two military sources indicate that a
King Air 200 was also destroyed. A U.S. defense contractor,
who is in country, was informed by Sri Lankan military
sources that both of the SLAF's unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs),which are not normally kept at the Anuradhapura base,
were also damaged in the attack. Thirteen SLAF personnel
(four officers and nine enlisted men) were killed and as many
as 25 SLAF personnel were injured in the attack, according to
SLAF contacts. The SLAF reports between 10 and 20 LTTE
cadres were killed. Thirty to 40 LTTE cadres, who are
reported to have entered the base in military uniforms, are
believed to have participated in the ground attack. They
were able to travel more than a kilometer across the base to
the hangar area without being detected.
2. (C) In response to the attack, the SLAF launched a Bell
212 helicopter to intercept the LTTE aircraft. The
helicopter crash landed about 15 kilometers from the airbase,
in Mihintale. While publicly the SLAF says the helicopter
crashed due to a technical problem, SLAF contacts tell us
that the helicopter was brought down by friendly fire. The
LTTE aircraft were not intercepted and appear to have
returned safely to LTTE-controlled territory. A power
blackout was implemented in Colombo before dawn as part of
the GSL's contingency plans.
3. (C) COMMENT: The attack, in which several high-value
aircraft were lost or damaged, represents a significant
security lapse on the part of the SLAF. It comes just a week
after the attack on military personnel inside Yala National
Park (reftel),following several months without high profile
LTTE activity outside the Tigers' base in the Vanni.
Anuradhapura is well-known for its ancient Buddhist ruins. In
both cases, the LTTE attacked in or near popular tourist
destinations, but specifically targeted military
installations. While today's attack incurred significant
military losses, we assess that both targets were also chosen
to hurt the tourist industry, without actually injuring
tourists. The one Amcit who currently resides in
Anuradhapura has been contacted and is safe.
MOORE