Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08COLOMBO184
2008-02-21 11:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: FIGHTING CONTINUES IN MANNAR DISTRICT;
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UNCLAS COLOMBO 000184
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FIGHTING CONTINUES IN MANNAR DISTRICT;
LTTE KILLS THREE SOLDIERS IN SOUTH
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000184
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FIGHTING CONTINUES IN MANNAR DISTRICT;
LTTE KILLS THREE SOLDIERS IN SOUTH
1. (U) On February 20 at 11:00 AM, three soldiers were shot
and killed in Buttala, an area deep in Sri Lanka's south.
The Defense Ministry blamed the attack on the LTTE and
deployed additional troops to conduct a search operation.
Following the attack, the Defense Ministry replaced the
military commander in Hambantota district and gave the new
commander control over police in the area.
2. (U) In northern Sri Lanka, there have been reports of
heavy fighting and shelling this week in Mannar and Adampan,
located 10 km inside LTTE-controlled territory. The Defense
Ministry says government forces repelled an LTTE attempt to
reclaim land lost near Parappakandal in Mannar and then
launched a pre-dawn offensive toward Adampan. The military
spokesman reports that 53 LTTE cadres and 2 Sri Lankan Army
(SLA) soldiers were killed between Monday and Wednesday. The
LTTE claims to have killed 10 SLA soldiers.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: The Hambantota Commander was likely
replaced for his failure to eliminate the LTTE presence in
the Yala area. The LTTE has conducted several attacks in
this area over the past few weeks, including a claymore
attack on February 4 that killed 4 soldiers. Casualty counts
in this latest fighting in the north appear high, but are
hard to verify.
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FIGHTING CONTINUES IN MANNAR DISTRICT;
LTTE KILLS THREE SOLDIERS IN SOUTH
1. (U) On February 20 at 11:00 AM, three soldiers were shot
and killed in Buttala, an area deep in Sri Lanka's south.
The Defense Ministry blamed the attack on the LTTE and
deployed additional troops to conduct a search operation.
Following the attack, the Defense Ministry replaced the
military commander in Hambantota district and gave the new
commander control over police in the area.
2. (U) In northern Sri Lanka, there have been reports of
heavy fighting and shelling this week in Mannar and Adampan,
located 10 km inside LTTE-controlled territory. The Defense
Ministry says government forces repelled an LTTE attempt to
reclaim land lost near Parappakandal in Mannar and then
launched a pre-dawn offensive toward Adampan. The military
spokesman reports that 53 LTTE cadres and 2 Sri Lankan Army
(SLA) soldiers were killed between Monday and Wednesday. The
LTTE claims to have killed 10 SLA soldiers.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: The Hambantota Commander was likely
replaced for his failure to eliminate the LTTE presence in
the Yala area. The LTTE has conducted several attacks in
this area over the past few weeks, including a claymore
attack on February 4 that killed 4 soldiers. Casualty counts
in this latest fighting in the north appear high, but are
hard to verify.
BLAKE