Sri Lanka's Tiger rebels stage air attack against navy: military
COLOMBO (AFP) — Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels Tuesday carried out their first major air strike in 16 months, dropping two bombs on a naval base in the northeast of the island, officials said.
Residents in Trincomalee, 260 kilometres (160 miles) northeast of capital Colombo, said they saw anti-aircraft fire illuminating the night sky while huge blasts were also heard in the strategic port town, a key naval base.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) carried out an "abortive air raid" at the naval base in Trincomalee, the defence ministry said in a statement.
"According to the available information, the terror aircraft have dropped two improvised bombs," the ministry said. "Four sailors have suffered injuries in the attack."
The latest air attack by the Tigers came as government forces kept up a major offensive against the guerrillas inside their de facto state in the north. The military has claimed the upper hand in the latest ground battles.
The rebels staged a major air strike in April last year against two oil storage facilities in Colombo. The Tigers also flew their light aircraft in October 2007 during a ground attack against an airforce base.
The Tigers are believed to be operating five Czech-built Zlin-143 aircraft smuggled onto the island in pieces and re-assembled. Satellite images have shown that they have more than one air strip inside areas they hold.
There was no immediate comment from the Tigers about their latest attack. However, the pro-rebel tamilnet.com website said Sri Lankan airforce jets were seen flying over rebel territory shortly after the Tiger air attack.
Residents in Trincomalee, contacted by telephone, said they heard anti-aircraft guns for about 15 minutes.
They also saw smoke from the naval facility area, but it was not immediately clear what caused it. Military sources said the guerrillas had used a single aircraft for the attack.
Military officials said the rebels appeared to have escaped with their aircraft despite a heavy barrage of ground fire.
Earlier on Tuesday, the defence ministry said security forces had killed at least 15 Tiger rebels for the loss of seven soldiers in an upsurge in clashes in the embattled north.
The new fighting raised the number of rebels killed by troops since January to 6,103, according to defence ministry figures. The government says 574 of its troops have died over the same period.
Casualty claims by the two sides cannot be verified as the military blocks media access to the front lines and rebel-controlled areas.
Troops are braced for a fierce battle as the military tries to capture the LTTE's de-facto state in the north after ejecting them from the east last July.
Tens of thousands of people have died since the LTTE launched a separatist campaign in 1972 to carve out a homeland for minority Tamils in the majority Sinhalese island's north and east.
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According to initial reports there are 2 dead from the Navy, and 8-10 injured due to one of the bombs. The casualty list or collateral damage from the second bomb is unknown yet.
Once again the GOSL is in a state of panic and denial.
The flight path was a few miles East of Vavuniya and Anuradhapura airports which the military and airforce have modern radars supplied by the Indians. Obviously the radar has failed to operate effectively or the Sinhalese have fallen asleep on the RADAR?
What a Joke.
LTTE planes dropped 2 bombs in Trinco Harbour
According to Sri Lanka Guardian reliable source, few damages were caused to naval troops and the Harbour in the aerial bombing.
But source said that the jetliner ship appeared to be the target, but the target had been missed.
"During the wee hours the SLAF /SLN air defence network radars detected 2 light aircraft of LTTE which were airborne and heading towards Trincomalee. In accordance with standard operating procedures, SLAF interceptor aircraft were made airborne in the direction of the intruding enemy craft.
However, enroute to the area it was observed that the LTTE air craft were fleeing and heading back", our source confirms. - Sri Lanka Guardian
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