Nine days earlier, the Navy intercepted six Sea Tiger boats 50 miles east of Point Pedro. Three boats were destroyed and five LTTE were killed. The Navy claim to have foiled a number of LTTE attempts to smuggle arms to the Mullaitivu shore since it began a blockade from May, in Operation Varuna Kirana (Coloured Rays).
In Jaffna, seven soldiers were killed and another seriously wounded in a remote-controlled mine attack by the Tigers at Karanavai in north-eastern Vadamaratchy on 24 October. The dead included Jaffna District deputy military co-ordinator Col. Lionel Wijekone. Reports say the attack took place in a military high security zone.
Resettlement of the internally displaced people has taken place in selected areas of southern Thenmaratchy, including northern parts of Varani and Mirusuvil. But it has not been successful in other places due to fear of landmines. K Nagamuthu and S Sivamohan were seriously injured by landmines in Sarasalai in early October. Mines wounded six people in September. Mine clearance operations by UN agencies remain suspended. According to reports, following a visit by a World Bank team in September, the operations may be resumed.
Traffic warden Sriskandarajah Vimaleswaran, 19, a refugee from Thenmaratchy, was shot dead by suspected LTTE gunmen on 10 October in Jaffna town. He was among the 65 traffic wardens appointed on the recommendations of the Tamil group and government ally EPDP and functioned under the Jaffna police force.