LTTE’s Underwater Vehicle Factory Is captured……..

SLA, Task Force-3 found an LTTE underwater vehicle along with 3 other smaller underwater vehicles which are still under construction from the Udayarkattukulam area in Mullaittivu. Military sources said that this was the most startling recovery made by troops so far during the ongoing counter terrorist operations against the LTTE.

The largest underwater vehicle found is about 35 feet in length and amour plated. The discovery was made by the infantrymen of 4 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (4 SLLI) .

With this discovery the LTTE will go down in the history as the first terrorist organization to develop underwater weapons. Also, the LTTE is the first terrorist outfit to introduce suicide bombers to the world and to develop naval and air arms.

LTE has used FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Technology from a foreign country for these machines.The Army's Task Force 3 has obtained conclusive evidence of this technology. DR also received credible information from sources within the Navy that the Dvora blown-up recently off the coast of Mulaitivu was by a suicide submerged vessel, possibly a human torpedo/water scooter. It was said that tigers have carried out several attacks against the FAC’s of the NAVY using small human subs which now believed to be buit in this factory.

The most reason attack came against a Dvora FAC which was patrolling seas about 10 nautical miles off the coast of Mulaitivu when the blast occurred. Given the nature of the blast and the amount of explosives used and the distance from the coast to the FAC, a suicide frogman can be ruled out. A similar blast sunk a Navy Logistics supply Ship in the Trincomalee Naval Yard last year.

Also with this discovery few eye brows were raised among the high military ranks fearing that the LTTE leader VP might already used one of these vehicles to escape from the Navy defense lines in the Mullattivu Sea. While Lot of rumors are still spreading about the fate of the LTTE leader.

55 th 59 will meet soon to liberate all coastal area

The delay experienced in entering Mulaitivu was to avoid losses in open lagoon. By last evening, Mulaitivu was completely under seige from the south and east, except from the north. 59 and 55 Divisions, who were expecting to jointly take Mulaitivu could not do so as the 55 was held up by some resistance further north.

But the linkup between the 59 and the 55 is inevitable as the 55 marches beyond Chalai and finally reaches the Nanthikandal lagoon. With this, the two divisions will turn eastward now becoming the first divisions to do so in this war as the Commander's plan to get the Tigers boxed-in in the middle gradually becomes a reality.

One avenue of approach would march along the A-35 as the uncleared areas get sandwiched by the 58, 55, 59, TF 2, 3 and 4 while the 57 prepares to hold down and secure Kilinochchi to welcome the trapped civilians.

Mullativu Falls To SLA

SLA now has complete control of the Mullathivu town which had been under LTTE control for the last 13 years. SLA’s massive base complex in Mullathivu fell in July, 1996 when LTTE launched their first Unceasing Waves operation. An entire brigade (512) was wiped out from the military map. Nearly 1400 soldiers were killed. Only 66 soldiers including two officers were the only survivors. It was a massive defeat for any conventional army after the Vietnam war. Pro LTTE media claimed that they have lost only 332 carders in this entire operation.It was the first major victory for the LTTE.

However after 13 years the tables have turned. This time the LTTE carders are the ons who had to be on the receiving end. The first SLA units to enter Mullathivu town last morning were from the 59 division. A surprise attack was launched across the Nandikadal lagoon which flanked the LTTE dfence positions from the east forcing the tigers to flee.A number of LTTE cadres were killed in operations in and around Mullathivu town and bodies of 15 fallen tigers have been recovered by the army.

After laying siege to Mulaitivu from 3 different areas, the 59 Division finally entered Mulaitivu, a small island-like area across the Nanthikandal lagoon. The LTTE had started vacating the area prior to this. But the sources close to military revealed that small teams of LTTE carders are still trapped inside the town due to the surprise nature of the attack. Search and destroy operations are underway to find and destroy these teams.