Colombo: At least 152 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in artillery and air attacks by the Sri Lankan security forces in the island's northeast as the troops took full control over the Muslim coastal town of Muttur, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
With the help of artillery and air attacks, troops inflicted heavy losses on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Friday in and around the town of Muttur in Trincomalee district, a ministry spokesman said.
"We have an estimated 152 Tigers killed and 124 injured, mainly in the air attacks carried at their key base of Foul Point," military spokesman Upali Rajapakse said.
"Only 12 sailors were wounded in Friday's attacks," he added.
The Defence Ministry said the attack was the final confrontation with the guerrillas in the clashes which erupted on Wednesday with a heavy artillery attack on the Muslim town by Tiger rebels.
The two sides had been engaged in fierce fighting over a disputed irrigation canal in the region.
"Naval troops who were vigilant and expecting the failing attempt of Tamil Tigers managed to identify the wave of assault from all corners, annihilated all of them," the ministry said in a statemnent, adding the troops took full control over Muttur.
There was no immediate reaction from the Tamil Tigers to military claims of casualties, but the pro-rebel Tamilnet.com website reported that the air force had on Friday evening bombed and destroyed a ferry inside the rebel territory.
Tamilnet gave no details. However, it said about 10,000 people had fled Muttur.
Comments
0 comment