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Sri Lankan Army Advances on Strategic Pass Held by Tamil Tigers
Tuesday, 6 January 2009 - 2:28 PM SL Time
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Sri Lankan soldiers advanced on a strategic causeway held by rebel fighters, maintaining pressure on the Tamil Tigers after capturing the group s political headquarters last week, the army said.
Troops yesterday seized the town of Thamilamadam to the south of Elephant Pass and have commenced their forward march, according to a statement on the army s Web site.
The isthmus, held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam since 2000, links the northern Jaffna Peninsula with the rest of the island. Control of Elephant Pass would allow government forces on the mainland to link up with military bases on the peninsula, further eroding rebel-held territory.
The LTTE, which has fought for 26 years for a separate homeland in the north and east of the country, hasn t commented on the Jan. 2 fall of its administrative headquarters, Kilinochchi, or the battle for Elephant Pass. Schools in the region are being used to house more than 260,000 people forced from their homes by the fighting, the group said on its Peace Secretariat Web site.
The rebels last week pulled back from Kilinochchi to regroup in the northeastern jungles around the coastal town of Mullaitivu.
Soldiers are 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of Mullaitivu and 3 kilometers away from the LTTE s main airstrip, the Defense Ministry said two days ago.
An estimated 250,000 soldiers are involved in the battle with the rebels, according to N. Manoharan, a senior fellow at the Center for Land Warfare Studies in New Delhi. The military estimates the Tamil Tigers have between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters, though some analysts say the number may be as high as 10,000.
The military has been staging almost daily attacks on the Tamil Tigers in the northern Wanni region where Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu lie after capturing the eastern region 18 months ago.
The LTTE says Tamils are discriminated against by the ethnic Sinhalese majority. Tamils made up 11.9 percent of Sri Lanka s population of 20 million and Sinhalese almost 74 percent in 2001, according to a census that year.
The LTTE is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S., European Union and India.
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MahaDev
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 6 Jan 2009 08:33:30 GMT Report for Abuse
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Tamils made up 11.9 percent of Sri Lanka s population of 20 million and Sinhalese almost 74 percent in 2001, according to a census that year.
Some demanded, it is only 5 %???? |
lankaputha
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 6 Jan 2009 08:34:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Muhamale FDL breached by the brave soldiers. Another major blow to protect EP |
lankaputha
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6 Jan 2009 08:35:19 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Seems like the LTTE is taking the last breath. Cause even india is now interested of punshing Praba if captured alive. And an official request from a state to another state is made today to hand over the Butcher to India |
lankaputha
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6 Jan 2009 08:36:45 GMT Report for Abuse
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| According to Sarath Fonseka LTTE has only about 1000 more soldiers to taste the bullets and sharpenel from SLDF. Here it says 3000, 5000 and even 10,000 conflicting isnt't it .. ? |
lankaputha
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6 Jan 2009 08:38:49 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Mahadev.. It may be wrong. If I'm not mistaken the tamil percentage is more than 15 % as of now, inlcuiding all the tamils lived in South and north. And the Muslims are too coming closer to 14% and another small minority of 2 % of other ethnics and the sinhalese are just a little below 69% |
Rapaport
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6 Jan 2009 08:41:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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Too many sites are trying to publish the news to be the FIRST to announce it. Especially Indian sites and channels.
It can be only believed after confirmation from MOD! |
Robins
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 6 Jan 2009 08:42:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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Sorry Lankan Army advances into a big Mess waiting for them!!! War pushed for political ends by Rajapasses!!
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TaskForce
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6 Jan 2009 08:44:07 GMT Report for Abuse
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News Flash
263 LTTE carders killed in Elephant Pass, Muahamley and Kilali. 55 bodies of LTTE carders recovered by the SL forces.(32 females and 22 males)
567 LTTE carders still trappen in Elephant Pass
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Rapaport
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6 Jan 2009 08:46:35 GMT Report for Abuse
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Tf
Welcome to LNP.
567 seems to be a very accurate number!
Ur source pls?
Edited By - Rapaport - 6 Jan 2009 08:47:48 GMT |
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