Troops withstand stiff terrorist resistance; LTTE flexing last muscles in Kilinochchi

Heavy clashes are continuing along the Kilinochchi outskirts since last morning (Nov 23) as the Army infantrymen are steadily advancing on to the remaining LTTE defences in the area, defence sources on the front reveal.

According to the sources, the Army 57 Division (57 Div) and Task Force 1 (TF 1) laid siege to the symbolic LTTE stronghold, the Kilinochchi built up on Sunday morning on three frontiers.

The TF1 infantrymen were able to breach the LTTE held earth bund around the Kilinochchi built up from the North of Adampan area at three locations. Meanwhile, 57 Div infantrymen launched two separate assaults at the same earth bund at the north of Puthumurippu Kulam and Therumurikandi.

The TF 1 and 57 Div forward units deployed in the Adampan and Puthumurippu Kulam came under massive LTTE counter attack since last evening. According to the available information troops have withstood the terrorist counter attack successfully and are now consolidating their positions.

According to latest battlefield reports 27  soldiers have made their ultimate sacrifice for the motherland while 70 others suffered injuries during the battle. Among the injured 35 have sustained only minor injuries , said the sources. Also, a few other soldiers have not been able to join with their units so far,  the sources added.

Meanwhile, intercepted radio transmissions reveal that LTTE terrorists too have suffered heavy deaths and casualties in their unsuccessful counter attack. Over 120 LTTE cadres have been killed and 80 others injured in the Kilinochchi area  since Sunday morning.

The 57 Div elements fighting in the Therumurikandi area have captured about 1.2 Km stretch on the earth bund that runs across the A-9 road. According to the sources, the terrorists are fast withdrawing from their defences. The soldiers have established their position just a few hundred metres short of the A-9 road, immediately south of the Kilinochchi built up.

Defence intelligence reveals that LTTE has marshalled their final reserves to the battlefront to save their symbolically important stronghold - Kilincochhchi. All senior terrorists leaders have been heard in the radios commanding their cadres to die for the safety of the terror supremo V. Prabhakaran.