Crossfire
A wave of attacks in the east
Twenty four policemen and four civilians were killed when over 200 Tigers attacked a police post providing security to a Sinhalese village north of Welikanda in Polonnaruwa District, on 29 August. Ten other policemen and three civilians were wounded. Kudapokuna village lies on the vital route between Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa and the LTTE has continually targeted the area to disrupt military supply lines.
Since the fall of Jaffna in December last year the Tigers have launched major attacks in the east. In early August the police called for civilian cooperation to prevent LTTE infiltration into Batticaloa town.
Two policemen were injured in the town by a grenade on 8 August. Another grenade was lobbed three days later into crowds attending the Mamankam Hindu temple festival injuring four policemen and 26 civilians. The LTTE have denied responsibility. In another attack at Oddamavady near Valaichenai on 30 August a Muslim youth was killed.
The security forces have withdrawn after a major military operation in the Tiger stronghold of Vaharai in July. But shelling and blockade of the area have continued causing severe hardship to the people. Hundreds of civilians fled the LTTE-controlled Vavunativu and Pattipalai areas after the Army issued leaflets ordering the people to move away from Tiger camps. Local MPs have protested against government plans to set up a major naval base on Mantivu few miles further north. The military believes that LTTE infiltration from Paduvankarai and other jungle areas west of the lagoon could be checked by the new base. The 50-acre island has been a leprosy colony since colonial times and has a hospital where 40 patients are receiving treatment.
Further north in Trincomalee security was intensified after Tamil group TELO’s district organiser S Baskaran was killed on 26 August in a grenade attack. Six others were seriously injured. LTTE assaults in Trincomalee have increased in ferocity. Eight soldiers were killed in Mavilaru on 9 August. Two days later a soldier died in an assault on an Army patrol near Meegaswewa south of Trincomalee town. Four soldiers were wounded in a Tiger attack on the same day in Puthur.
The LTTE also seems to issue a warning to foreign operators in the area. A Philippines merchant vessel Princess Wave was damaged by a bomb off Pulmoddai on 9 August. Nine civilians were injured. Korean engineers working for the last 9 months improving telecommunication in Trincomalee returned to Colombo after their office in the town was bombed on 14 August.
In Amparai District a civilian died in crossfire during a clash between the Special Task Force (STF) and the LTTE on 28 August.
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