Palampiddy Falls to Army’s Hand

LTTE TERRORISTS met another humiliating defeat in their battle with the troops to defend PALAMPIDDY, one of LTTE major strongholds in MANNAR, which fell into the hands of the Army by Saturday (17) afternoon.

Army had to face severe resistance by the terrorists and inched forward nearly for six days to reach PALAMPIDDY, about 8 km north of MADHU. PALAMPIDDY junction connects VIDATTALTIVU in northwest, MADHU in south, MULLIKULAM in southeast and NEDUNKANDAL in northeast. Fall of this former LTTE stronghold cripples administrative work and supplies to the terrorists.

Troops have so far recovered thirteen LTTE dead bodies, eleven T-56 weapons, one MPMG (Multi Purpose Machine Gun) and four communication sets from the area.

Troops after consolidating their positions in and around PALAMPIDDY are now conducting search and clear operations.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=13297

Lankan navy detains 19 Indian fishermen

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 19 Indian fishermen on charges of poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

The authorities here suspect the fishermen have also “smuggled in something” for the Tamil Tigers, a military spokesperson said.

“We have arrested 19 Indian fishermen with three dhows off Thalaimannar on Thursday. This time the issue is very serious because they were arrested while returning from the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) held territories such as Devil Point and Palaitivu,” said navy spokesperson Commander D K P Dassanayake.

Pointing out that India had banned fishing “during this breeding season”, he said the fishermen had “violated rules and regulations of their own land”.
“We strongly suspect that they might have smuggled in something for the LTTE,” Dassanayake told IANS.

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http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?

17 innocent civilians injured in LTTE hand grenade attack - Vavuniya

Seventeen innocent civilians including two children suffered injuries when an LTTE terrorist exploded a hand grenade in Vavuniya town this afternoon, May 17.

An LTTE terrorist has lobbed a hand grenade targeting a STF (Special Task Force) buffle carrying security forces personnel and it dropped back missing it's target, Vavuniya police sources said. The explosion took place at 12.10 p.m in a densely populated area in Vavuniya town, sources further said.

Seventeen civilians who suffered injuries were rushed to the Vavuniya hospital immediately. Nine males, six females and two children were among the victims, hospital sources said. Four victims who received severe injuries have already been transferred to Anuradhapura hospital, sources further said.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080517_05
Photo,
www.defence.lk, www.army.lk and www.nationalsecurity.lk

Take LTTE to Task Now, Anandasangaree Urges International Community

V. Anandasangaree,President of the President TULF strongly condemned the bomb attack on innocent civilians in Colombo by the terrorist LTTE. He called upon international community to take the ruthless terrorists to task for this barbaric act. Hhe pointed out that that within two days of the assassination of Ms. Maheswary Velauthan of the EPDP, the LTTE has once again shown its atrocious feat in the heart of Colombo.

As usual Prabaharan has selected an innocent family to provide a suicide bomber for the game he plays off and on and thoroughly enjoys the killings of the innocents. He added, once again it is somebody else’s brainwashed child had sacrificed himself without any known protest neither from the suicide-bomber’s parents nor from any one of the TNA Members of Parliament who are although proxies of the LTTE, in name elected by the people.

I am not asking the TNA Members to sacrifice their own children. My only worry is as to why they can’t lodge a strong protest against human sacrifices by the LTTE. That is all I am asking. I strongly condemn the LTTE for playing with human lives."

He said that Ten innocent people some of whom are police officers, have died and over eighty-five seriously injured. How many more will die will not be known for a few days and by the time the exact figure is made known, more similar incidents would have taken place.

Read more,
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/11236

Sri Lankan president expresses condolence to China over earthquake

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has extended his deepest sympathies to the bereaved families and the victims of earthquake that struck China on May 12,the Sri Lankan government said Friday.

In his letter to the Chinese President Hu Jintao, Rajapaksa said "I was deeply saddened to hear of the death and destruction caused by the earthquake that struck western China on May 12."

"Having gone through the fury of nature ourselves in 2004 December due to the unprecedented tsunami that struck our country, the government and the people of Sri Lanka extend their sympathies to the bereaved families and the victims of this calamity.

Read more,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/16/content_8189162.htm