SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERS ATTACK NORTH CENTRAL AIR

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