Surprise Attack On The 59 DIV.

Heavy fighting erupted between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when A 30-man LTTE team that breached the 59 Division FDL from the right flank, launched a string of attack yesterday (1st) morning. killing about 20 soldiers and injuring 50 in the process. The team had landed in Security Forces dominated Mulaitivu from the Nanthikadal lagoon around 6 a.m. undetected by the forward elements of the 59 th division.The team then called in artillery at the FDL and coordinated a strike at the 59 FDL breaching it for a period of time until the Special Forces and Commandos were called in to secure the area.

Two main battle tanks (MBT) and a tractor transporting supplies to the front line have also been damaged. SLA units have recovered around 15 dead bodies of LTTE cadres. Fierce clashes are still continuing in the area.

In yesterdays clashes 58 division units recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from an LTTE base located east of Puliyampokkanal. Among the recovered weapons were three 120mm heavy mortars and few 80,82,85 mm mortar guns.

Meanwhile an LTTE plane made a landing around 1.5kms ahead of the 58 Division's FDL at Visuamadu North. A heavy barrage of MBRL fire was immediately directed to the area. No movement was observed from the area following the attack. The Plane had landed on a tar road, further confirming the Army's doubts that it was not always using the landing strips discovered in the area.