Reversals frustrate terrorist attack on Elephant Pass
[28 Mar 2000]

According to a Ministry of Defence official, a series of reversals effected by security forces are holding off a renewed attack by LTTE terrorists on army positions around Elephant Pass that began Sunday night.

  A minor breach of the A-9 highway Main Supply Route (MSR) has been restored, and security forces had already begun a "clearing operation," military sources said.

  The terrorists had cut off the Elephant Pass-Jaffna MSR briefly by gaining temproray control of Pallai. However, troops regrouped and attacked from all sides, regaining control of the road.

  Army spokesman Brigadier Palitha Fernando said yesterday that boats carrying terrorists were attacked off the Vadamarachchi coast between Chempiyanpattu and Nagarkovil. Two enemy craft were destroyed and one badly damaged.

  Security forces also destroyed the tank used by the terrorists in their attack.

  A military ammunition dump was also hit by the terrorist attack at Pallai. However, one defence ministry official described as “exaggerated” LTTE claims of destroying 11 heavy artillery pieces.

  The official said that terrorist rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and mortars were fired at the Pallai gun position causing damage to only three artillery guns, which were subsequently pulled back to Palaly for repairs.

  The security forces’ successful repulsing of the attack is the latest in series of reversals that have frustrated terrorist attempts to recapture the Jaffna Peninsula.

  The terrorists have repeatedly failed to take the strategic Elephant Pass base, despite months of concerted fighting.

  According to civilian reports, the terrorists were surprised by the vigour of the security forces counter-attack, which left them in confusion and disarray.

  The army's coastal detachment at Manmunai, south of Nagarkovil, came under heavy terrorist mortar fire. Several boats carrying terrorists had tried to join the battle. However, the attack was repulsed by the Sri Lankan navy who sank at least two terrorist boats and badly damaged another.  

According to the Navy two patrol boats on their way for re-deployment in the northern theatre of operations had spotted the enemy boat movement and had launched an attack immediately. Later, more patrol boats had joined the confrontation.  

Navy headquarters spokesman said last night that those patrol boats were continuing to engage enemy craft off the Vadamarachchi coast.

  The attack is the first offensive by the terrorists since former Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek visited Colombo in February to facilitate peace talks between the government and the LTTE.

  One officer and 32 soldiers have been killed during the attack, with 6 officers and 152 soldiers wounded. Military sources were unable to put a figure on terrorist casualties, though they acknowledged that these were likely to be substantial.

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