Muhamalai Calm After Heavy Fighting

Muhamalai remains calm after an offensive initiated by the Tigers last Wednesday. Tiger terrorists launched an offensive on the Security Forces forward defences in Muhamalai at the crack of dawn last Wednesday following weeks of intermittent artillery shelling and mortar fire. Ground troops successfully repulsed the tiger offensive with the support of the Air Force and the Navy. The Air Force and Navy assisted the ground forces to block and destroy tiger reinforcements from Elephantpass and Kilinochchi. Air Force Kfir jets pounded tiger artillery and mortar positions behind tiger forward defences. Military field commanders state that troops are presently strengthening their positions along the FDL.

According field and intelligence sources the Tigers have suffered heavy casualties due to the intense retaliation by the Security Forces. Military Sources estimate that over 200 tiger cadres were killed while scores were injured. According to technical sources, hospitals in Kilinochchi are packed with injured tiger cadres. Wanni hospitals are unable to cope with the overwhelming number of injured cadres as they are faced with an acute shortage of blood. According to civilian sources people are forced to donate blood at tiger blood collecting centres to be used for treatment of wounded cadres.

129 Army personnel sacrificed their lives while 283 were injured in the battle. The situation in Muhamalai remains relatively calm with sporadic artillery and mortar attacks by the Tigers.