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The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 57 Division, Major General Jagath Dias (Chula Dias), a brilliant officer and commander, made a surprise move yesterday at Vaunikulam by ordering his troops from the 57 Division and Special Forces to bypass LTTE camps and to station themselves to the rear of the enemy, thus fully confusing LTTE units prepared and waiting for a fight.

With this dazzling move, LTTE units, including two teams of Charles Anthony 'Special Forces' units got caught in the Army's net in the general area south of Mallavi. By this time, SF troops and 57 Division troops that had advanced further north had stationed themselves brilliantly to receive retreating Charles Anthony unit cadres.

The retreating Tigers went straight into the 57 Division's waiting hands. One team of Charles Anthony, led by the Deputy Leader of the unit, Pullaivan, was trapped and later killed by 57 troops along with 21 others from the same unit by the evening. All 22 bodies, including that of Pullaivan, were recovered.

After this fatal blow, around 9pm yesterday, LTTE units led by Lakshman, Bhanu and Lawrence launched a rescue mission to save the trapped cadres. Fighting continued till 2am until the Tigers ran helter skelter carrying whatever remained of their cadres. This resulted in at least 30 other LTTE cadres getting killed.

Currently, one more team of Charles Anthony unit is trapped and fighting for their lives in this area. Sources told this site confidentially that this team will be annihilated within a few hours.

When the 57 and SF troops hoodwinked the Tigers and moved to its rear, they were able to capture a hoard of LTTE weapons including a 120mm canon, two 81mm mortar launchers and tubes, tractors, other vehicles etc. In this limited operation launched towards the bund of the Vavunikulam Tank, around 11 LTTE cadres, including the local area leader Anbu, were killed and bodies recovered.

The Army lost a young Lieutenant in the counter offensive and five soldiers.

LTTE casualties in the Vavunikulam battle is over 100 killed and at least another 100 injured, sources in the Army confirmed to DefenceWire a few hours ago. After this battle, Tiger leaders have been requesting their cadres not to engage in and further fighting with the Security Forces saying that they have now 'reverted back to a unilateral cease-fire'.

The number of LTTE casualties has increased after mop-up operations to route a remaining team following the two main confrontations at Vaunikulam, namely for the bund and against a retaliatory attack to save trapped Charles Anthony units. The Sri Lanka Army lost 18 men, including a junior officer.

The Deputy Leader of the Charles Anthony unit, named Pallavan, was a very prominent leader in the LTTE involved in defending Thoppigala alongside 'Col.' Jeyam and a team of LTTE's 'Special Forces'. Pallavan is an eastern cadre, whose loyalty to the LTTE leader was so high that he was given the reins of Charles Anthony unit, which comprises of mainly northern cadres.

Meanwhile SLA clearing operations south of Mallavi have amassed several sacks of hands, fingers and limbs of dead tigers, whose corpses have been reduced to rubble in Thursday's firefight. Large blood stains are visible in dry patches of earth. The stench of the rotting corpses has attracted wild carnivorous animals. Field Commanders confirmed that at this rate, the Army will be able to reach Kilinochchi within the next three months.

Meanwhile troops from 4 Special Forces last afternoon ambushed a tractor load of Tigers Northwest of Weli Oya. The exact number of LTTE casualties is not clear. The Navy, after a long silence on Thursday ventured into LTTE controlled areas south of Mulaithivu and engaged an LTTE boat movement using small teams of the Special Boat Squadron, Dvora FACs and a Fast Missile Cruiser. Navy confirmed 3 boats out of 10 were completely destroyed along with the crew.

LTTE casualties over 100. 18 SLA also killed. Army collects pieces of LTTE remains in sacks.

After this battle, Tiger leaders have been requesting their cadres not to engage in and further fighting with the Security Forces saying that they have now 'reverted back to a unilateral cease-fire'.

SLA clearing operations south of Mallavi have amassed several sacks of hands, fingers and limbs of dead tigers, whose corpses have been reduced to rubble in Thursday's firefight. Large blood stains are visible in dry patches of earth. The stench of the rotting corpses has attracted wild carnivorous animals.