MI-24, Bell damaged in Tiger air strike on Mannaar garrison
TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 2008, 13:09 GMT
An MI-24 attack helicopter gunship deployed in the Sri Lankan offensive on Vanni by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and a Bell helicopter used to transport the wounded soldiers from the battlefield, sustained damage Tuesday night when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) air wing, Tamileelam Air Force, carried out a bombing raid on the Sri Lankan garrison at Tha'l'laadi in Mannaar, according to a reliable military source. Sri Lankan military officials have earlier said there was no major damage caused by the Tiger air strike, but said one soldier had sustained injuries.
The SLAF has lost seven MI-24 gunships in the war since 1995. Five gunships were brought down by the LTTE anti-aircraft unit and two were destroyed in LTTE operations on SLAF installations.