Casualties mount on the Sinhala Army in Vanni as they attack civillian targets:

Fresh SLA advance repulsed in Vannearikku'lam - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 11:32 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA), which launched a fresh attempt to advance in Vannearikku'lam on Thursday suffered heavy casualties as the Tigers repulsed the move after heavy fighting that lasted for almost four hours, LTTE military officials in Vanni told TamilNet claiming that 25 SLA soldiers were killed in the fighting and more than 40 wounded. Two dead bodies of SLA soldiers were recovered and the Tigers have seized arms and ammunitions from the battlefield. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo claimed that their forces were engaged in a 3-hour sea battle from 11:30 a.m. with the LTTE Sea Tigers in the seas off Naachchikkudaa, claiming an equal number of casualties on LTTE side.

Heavy fighting broke out in Vannearikku'lam region around 9:30 a.m. Thursday and lasted til 1:00 p.m., according to LTTE officials. Two Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launchers, one AK-LMG, five T-56 assault rifles, one T-56-type-2 rifle, Claymore mines, grenades and several rounds were among the seized arms and ammunitions left behind by the SLA forces that were pushed back at Vannearikku'lam.

LTTE military officials also said the SLA was attempting to advance in the southern sector of the Ki'linochchi district on Wednesday amid stiff fighting. Around 10 SLA soldiers were killed in action on Wednesday, the Tigers said.

The LTTE didn't release details on its own casualties and yet to release details on the said naval clash.

Meanwhile, fishermen's representatives said the displaced fishermen had recently engaged in fishing in Valaippaadu, expressing concern for the lives of the fishermen. The IDP fishermen had collected nets and other fishing material to engage in fishing in Valaippaadu coastal area this week, they said.
SLA shelling hits convoy on A9, driver wounded
[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 09:49 GMT]
A driver of a lorry convoy on its way to Oamanthai, expecting humanitarian supplies, was wounded when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells hit the A9 highway Thursday around 7:30 a.m., 1 km off Maangku'lam.

The convoy came under SLA artillery fire between Maangku'lam and Pu'liyangku'lam on A9. The driver of a lorry, M. Kunaratnam, was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Ki'linochchi hospital.

The SLA on Wednesday blocked the convoy with humanitarian supplies to Ki'linochchi at Oamanthai. However, the civil authorities in Ki'linochchi district dispatched lorries towards Omanthai, expecting supplies on Thursday. Further details were not available.

3 killed, DPU Claymore targets bus on A9
[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 06:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) infiltrators Thursday morning triggered a Claymore mine targeting a passenger bus, which was on its way from Pu'liyangku'lam to Ki'linochchi on A9 Road, killing at least three civilians, including the driver of the bus on the spot, accordingo to initial reports from the Tamileelam Police. Meanwhile, medical sources reported that five civilians were rushed to hospitals after the blast.

The DPU attack has taken place at Pothoor while the first passenger bus of the day was en route to Ki'linochchi from Pu'liyangku'lam Thursday at 7:45 a.m.

The slain victims were identified as 30-year-old Yoganathan, a father of three from Katchilaimadu, who was the driver of the bus, 32-year-old S. Sasisankar, a father of four from Vaddakkachchi, and Sebamalai Francis Fernando Mariadeisy, an IDP from Parappaangka'ndal, Mannaar..

Four of the wounded were identified by the medical sources as Ranjan Lalitharani, 28, from Neethipuram in Maangku'lam, Paranitha, 21, Periyathamby Selvanayagam, 48, from Oamanthai, Vavuniyaa and Pathmanathan Ketheeswaran from Mu'l'likku'lam in Paalampiddi, Mannaar.