Urgent Press Release

LTTE Headquarters  
Tamil Eelam              
14th September 1999

SRI LANKA ARMY SUFFERS SERIOUS MILITARY DEBACLE

The Sri Lanka army suffered a serious military debacle when the Government troops launched a fresh offensive campaign on Sunday to capture more areas in the Mannar district of northern Sri Lanka.

The armed units of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fought back fiercely and forced the Government troops to withdraw in total disarray. In the ferocious fighting that lasted for several hours, more than 75 soldiers were killed and hundreds suffered serious injuries. On our side, 27 freedom fighters including 12 women cadres attained martyrdom.

In the early hours of the 12.09.1999 the Sri Lankan army, in a massive display of strength, made an offensive thrust on two fronts in the Pallamadu and Periamadu areas with a heavy barrage of artillery fire and aerial bombardment. The LTTE armed units, manning front defence lines, put up heavy resistance unleashing waves of artillery and mortar fire on the advancing troops. Fierce fighting lasted for several hours. Confronted with ferocious resistance and heavy casualties, Sri Lankan troops withdrew to their original positions leaving some of their dead soldiers and heavy weaponry in the battlefield.

LTTE fighters have recovered 23 bodies of dead soldiers and arrangements are being made to hand over the bodies to the ICRC. Our fighters have also secured a huge haul of weapons, which include mortars, RPGs, LMGs and automatic rifles.