LTTE mounts human wave attacks

LTTE mounts human wave attacks
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

COLOMBO, MAY 10: Tamil guerrillas on Wednesday launched heavy attacks on government troops at places closer to embattled Jaffna town to dislodge Army defences.

LTTE launched pre-dawn simultaneous major attacks on Ariyalai and Thanankilappu located on banks of a lagoon close to Jaffna, a government press release said, adding troops held on to Thanankilappu repulsing all attacks by the guerrillas. The rebels however managed to breach Army defences in `few places'.

However, casualties if any, were not immediately known.

Ariyalai was located over 5 km north of Jaffna town while Thanankilappu was situated about 7 km north of Ariyalai. Army has rushed more reinforcements to the two areas to repulse LTTE attacks, it said.

"Terrorists continued to fire heavy volume of artillery and mortars. Troops fought back effectively repulsing a number of human waves of the attackers although there were large number of casualties among the attackers, LTTE human waves continued to assault without any respect for the lives of junior LTTE cadre", the release said.

While troops managed to repulse the LTTE attacks at Tanankilappu, LTTE guerrillas managed to breach a `few gaps' in the Army defences at Ariyalai. At present intense fighting continues in Ariyalai sector, it said.

Ground troops were effectively supported by artillery and air attacks by Sri Lankan Air Force fighter bombers.

"Reinforcements have already been deployed in Ariyalai and Thanankilappu sectors to push back the terrorists. According to ground troops terrorists have suffered very heavy casualties while troops too have suffered casualties due intense fighting," the release said adding that the casualty figures would be provided later.

Today's attacks coming a day after the Government rejected the LTTE's conditinal cease-fire offer to pull out 27,000 troops from Jaffna saw a marked differnence in the LTTE tactics as it attacked army defences located near Jaffna Town.

Fighting was concentrated at Kilali, which was about 45km north of Jaffna town till Tuesday but after failing to dislodge army defences there, the LTTE changed its strategy and attacked Ariyalai and Thanankilappu which were located far closer to Jaffna town.

Meanwhile, in an effort to bolster the Army's recruitment drive following major reverses in Jaffna, Lankan Deputy Defence Minister Gen Anuruddha Ratwatte has asked each of the 223 Members of Parliament to encourage at least 100 youth each from their constituencies to join the armed forces.

"I only ask each MP to send 100 young men to the Army," Ratwatte was quoted by local media as saying.

Ratwatte said the Army needs over 20,000 men to strengthen the security forces defending Jaffna against a rebel offensive.

In another development, the government increased taxes on cigarettes and alcohol to mop up an estimated Rs 1500 million to be spent on defence requirements.

Government announced five to 10 per cent increase of taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. The revenue thus garnered is expected to be included in the defence budget which has crossed Rs 55 billion mark.