SLN steps up pressure on LTTE 'Gulf of Mannar' supply line

As Tigers experience what the military believes the worst shortage of
ammunition, particularly heavy calibre artillery and mortars, the SLN is
stepping up its efforts to prevent the enemy from bringing in fresh
supplies to the Mannar mainland.

"Our focus is on the seaboard between Vidattaltivu and Pooneryn," an
official said, claiming that the enemy would now try to bring in
whatever supplies available in their South Indian 'hideouts'. Even
aviation fuel is believed to have been acquired from Indian suppliers.
The Island learns that Sri Lanka has brought this to India's notice
sometime back.

The SLN's task, he asserted, had been reasonably made easier after the
recent capture of the Sillavaturai area, south of the Mannar island.
"Now, they are left with approximately the 22 nautical mile Vidattaltivu
and Pooneryn road stretch north of the Mannar island," he said.

Before the SLA had moved into Sillavaturai, the SLAF successfully bombed
the only shore-based LTTE radar deployed in the area. The air strike,
The Island learns, had been facilitated by information elicited by the
SLN from four LTTE cadres now in Maldivian custody. Navy Chief Vice
Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda recently said that Tigers in Maldivian
custody and others taken in by the SLN had provided the information
leading to the recent destruction of, what he called, three floating
arsenals.

Dismissing recent Indian press reports that LTTE cadres would try to
reach India due to escalating hostilities in northern Sri Lanka, another
official asserted that the primary task of the SLN and the Indian Coast
Guard would be to deny the LTTE freedom of movement in the Gulf of
Mannar. "That is to prevent the LTTE from brining in supplies to Mannar
mainland."

"We are trying to shut their supply routes across the Indo-Lanka
maritime boundary," he said, "But the poaching Tamil Nadu fishing fleet
makes our task extremely difficult. Sri Lanka recently reiterated her
concern over the nexus between the LTTE and a section of the Tamil Nadu
fishing fleet when high level Indo-Lanka naval delegations met in
Colombo in the second week of September. The meeting had coincided with
the unprecedented destruction of three ships in international waters
over 600 nautical miles south east of Sri Lanka.

On the eastern seaboard, the LTTE controls the 60 nautical mile
Kokkuthuduwai-Nagarkovil stretch where Sea Tigers had their major
assets. The SLN is confident that the LTTE would not be able to engage
in a sizeable arms smuggling operation in this area. "Supplies coming
from their Indian hideouts would not be moved into this area," the
official said, asserting that the loss of seven ships in four separate
confrontations since September, last year had greatly affected their
supply route. "Even if KP were available, he would not have ships to
facilitate the once smoothly run arms smuggling operation."

The LTTE had lost control of a sizeable stretch of
Trincomalee-Batticaloa coastline since it triggered war August last year.

The SLA believes that the LTTE lacks the strength to overrun a major
base to collect weapons as it repeatedly did over a period of time.

Operation Varunakirana altered

A major change in the deployment of Offshore Patrol Craft (OPVs) to
interdict LTTE ships had helped the SLN to use its meagre assets
efficiently. "This allowed us to deploy ships on specific operations,"
an official said. Earlier, the SLN permanently had two OPVs on high seas
patrol as part of the costly Operation Varunakirana to block arms
shipments through the northern waters. "The OPVs are no longer part of
this action," he revealed, asserting that Fast Attack Craft (FACs)
deployed to secure the vital Trincomalee-KKS supply line would be able
to meet the challenge.

Courtesy: The Island
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Worth to look following to see how brutal Tamil Tiger Terrorists are

Child Soldiers of LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka
http://www.spur.asn.au/childwar.htm

Ethnic Cleansing in Sri Lanka
http://www.spur.asn.au/ethnic_cleansing_in_sri_lanka.htm

LTTE TAMIL TIGER ATROCITIES
http://www.spur.asn.au/ltteatrp.htm