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* Pudukudirippu the last Tiger bastion

By Tissa Ravindra Perera
Fifty thousand soldiers from 100 brigades belonging to six infantry fighting regiments will be used for the final push to take the last LTTE stronghold of Mullaitivu, Army Commander, Lt.Gen. Sarath Fonseka revealed. General Fonseka predicted it would also be the final major battle in the Eelam War IV.

The 59th Division on Friday afternoon began attacking the LTTE defence line erected to protect the Mullaitivu-Pudukudirippu stronghold. During the attack, 800 metres of the defence line was captured by the troops, said General Fonseka. This LTTE defence line connects Iranamadu, Kalmadu, Wishwamadu and Muththiyankattu Tanks, North Oddusudan, North Mullayawali and also the Mullaitivu coastal line across Chilawatte. The LTTE is also using around 200,000 civilians as a human shield in these areas.

After capturing Paranthan the Sri Lanka Army is moving northward on the A-9 route and is rapidly approaching Elephant Pass as well as Murusamodei on the Paranthan-Mullaitivu A-35 route this will force the LTTE to give up the forward defence lines of Jaffna and Elephant Pass, the Army Commander said. He added that the troops will also not allow the LTTE cadres to reorganise.

General Fonseka also said that in the face of the Army s final push, LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is now left with only two options either to escape from the country or to commit suicide. The capture of the LTTE Leader alive too is highly improbable.