Nagarkovil battle

CONTINUING Operation Oyatha Alaigal IV (Unceasing Waves), the LTTE mounted attacks on Nagarkovil, 10 miles south-east of Point Pedro, on 19 October and broke through military defence lines. The Tigers also shot down an Airforce helicopter. The Army say that the Tiger advance was checked and Sea Tiger boats carrying reinforcements from the east were forced to retreat.

On 29 October, the military launched Kiniheera III (Anvil) and advanced a mile south from Madduvil. The main aim of the Army seems to be to capture the 12 mile road between Chavakachcheri and Ariyalai, near Jaffna town, to ensure military supplies to the troops in the Thenmaratchy area.

Three people were seriously injured in a LTTE bomb attack on an EPDP election meeting at Kokkuvil on 5 October. Ponniah Sinnathamby, 74, of Udupiddy was killed by a shell on 6 October. On election day on 10 October, the Tigers shelled areas south-east of Jaffna town forcing people to flee the area. Reports say an Army shell in Kodikamam, east of the town, wounded two women.

According to reports, over 172,000 people are currently displaced in Jaffna and displacement has affected farming. In south Vadamaratchy, Thenmaratchy and Pachchilaipalli areas, farmers are unable to cultivate 5,500 hectare land, nearly 50% of the paddy lands available in the Jaffna peninsula.


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