LTTE AND THEIR SEA POWER TECHNIQUES!!!

Crucial days for Prabha and LTTE................SUNIL JAYASIRI

Troops discover half constructed massive tunnel-like iron frame

The security forces have finalized the details to either capture LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran alive or destroy him and his cadres. However due to heavy resistance by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the extreme weather conditions the forward advance of the troops had been delayed. But the security forces are determined that in the course of the next few days they will succeed in capturing the remaining land area and completely crushing the LTTE.

According to the ground commanders the current seasonal climatic conditions have badly affected the movement of soldiers especially those marching from Vellamulllaivakkal to the remaining areas in Mullaitivu in the ‘safe zone’, now occupied by the Tigers. During the months of May, June and July the weather patterns in the Mullaitivu area include strong winds and sand storms which have now been greatly aggravated by the heat wave that is presently affecting the area.

However the troops continue their advance further into the last stretch of LTTE-held area amidst these difficulties though weather conditions tend to cause dehydration which is another problem facing the forces during the operations. Several soldiers in the battlefield had to be hospitalized due to severe dehydration.

However, despite these difficulties troops have succeeded in capturing many of the earth bunds, that have been built at almost every 50 metres, leading to the inside of the uncleared areas which is now limited to just four square kilometres Forward progress of the troops would have been much more quicker if not for the fact that the beach is heavily mined and continuous sand storms hamper movement.

Troops expect the coming week to be crucial to the remaining LTTE leaders and cadres, since all land escape routes are blocked by the troops. Another area the LTTE would seek to escape from would be the Mullaitivu seas, where in the recent past several fierce sea battles had taken place.

The Navy has strengthened its defences and are carrying out deadly attacks on the Sea Tigers, who do not have any chance to put their boats to sea.

On Tuesday night a heavily fortified LTTE earth bund was captured by the army after several hours of fighting. A large number of LTTE cadres were reportedly killed and many injured during the battle.

The LTTE is using every possible strategy to stop the military advance and the latest was to cut trees and shrubs in the area so as to obtain clear visibility of military movement. During the past few days, the LTTE snipers had shot dead several army snipers and soldiers by making use of this strategy. However, the troops had been able to further their march forward amidst this last stand by the Tigers.

During the week, civilian movement towards the cleared area have been low as the LTTE have mined the routes which the civilians had used to escape. Only the ICRC chartered vessel was able to ferry several hundreds of sick and wounded civilians during last one and half weeks.

Meanwhile, the troops of the 58 Division on Monday found an unusual iron frame looking like a skeleton of a giant fish from the coastal belt of Vellamullavaikkala after two days of fierce fighting. This partly built iron contraption is more than 360 feet long, 25 feet wide and has a height of 10 feet. It is suspected that this was a part of an undersea tunnel that was under construction leading to a submarine berthing area that could also be used to reach ships anchored off the Mullaitivu coast.

The Tigers had used heavy iron to build this frame and there were signs that the Tigers were engaged in the construction work until the troops arrived in the area. It is located some 50 metres away from the coast and there were two heavy engines close to the frame. If it was meant to be converted to a submarine, easily more that 500 people could be accommodated inside it. Close to this skeletal frame troops also found a swimming pool type water tank that is 100 feet long, 50 feet wide and some 30 feet deep.

The LTTE had filled this tank with sea water. The military believed that the LTTE had built it to carry out tests for their submarines, which were recovered by the troops. The next day, troops found a ditch dug in the sea bed from the coast towards the high seas. Military believes that the LTTE was planning to place the earlier recovered frame in this ditch.

Though it was not clear what the exact purpose of building the frame and the ditch were the military believe that the Tigers had plans to use them for underwater operations for their cadres or use it as tunnel to move the submarines.

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