Uproar in Ghana after president unveils his own statue    Putin hails 'courageous' Trump after election win    Israel passes law to deport relatives of attackers, including citizens    Monkey mayhem in South Carolina after 43 primates escape research facility    Russian anti-war teenager faces five years in jail after failed appeal    SR 3.95 million fines for 3 employees of a company and 6-month jail for one for violating Capital Market Law    Qassim emir launches 52 health projects costing a total of SR456 million    BD and INS partner to elevate standards of infusion care in MENAT    Dubai Design Week launches its 10th edition, celebrating creativity and innovation    GASTAT: Passengers of public transport bus and train soar 176% and 33% respectively in 2023    Fakeeh Care Group reports 9M-2024 net profit of SR195.3 million, up 49% y-o-y driven by solid revenue growth and robust profitability    HRT does not impact life expectancy — UK health body    Liam Payne's body to be flown back to the UK    Suspect arrested for banking fraud totaling SR493 million as Nazaha pursues corruption charges    Arab leaders and heads of state congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump    Neymar suffers muscle tear, out for 4-6 weeks    Crown Prince hails Saudi medical team that performed world's first fully robotic heart transplant    Al Nassr secures 5-1 victory over Al Ain to edge closer to knockout stage    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Key LTTE stronghold falls to Lankan army
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 16 - 11 - 2008

Sri Lanka's military said troops seized the entire western coast of the Indian Ocean island on Saturday, capturing the key Pooneryn area where Tamil Tiger rebel artillery had kept soldiers at bay since 1993.
With the military controlling Pooneryn, a strategic spit of land that runs parallel to the neck of the northern Jaffna Peninsula across a narrow lagoon, it will be in a position to strike the rebel capital of Kilinochchi from three sides.
“We have completely taken over Pooneryn. We have gone up to the town, and control the roads from Pooneryn to Paranthan,” military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
The Defence Ministry said troops had encountered stiff resistance as they fought through marshlands south of Pooneryn and across the Paranthan junction overnight.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had no immediate comment. Previously, the LTTE had used heavy artillery to prevent two army divisions garrisoned on Jaffna, in army hands since 1995, from moving south to Kilinochchi.
“We didn't find any artillery, because they must have taken those pieces away or hidden them,” Nanayakkara said. Saturday's capture came after months of heavy fighting on the west coast.
The announcement also coincided with the second reading of Rajapaksa's proposed 2009 budget in the parliament, which includes record defence spending of Rs177.06 billion ($1.61 billion). Meanwhile, Rajapaksa reiterated a surrender offer he gave the Tigers last week after they called for a ceasefire. A 2002 truce, poorly observed by both sides, ended when the government threw it out and accused LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran of using it to re-arm.
“My clear message to Prabhakaran and the LTTE is to lay down their arms and come forward for discussions with us forthwith,” Rajapaksa said on Saturday.”The laying down of their arms is the greatest service the LTTE could do for ... Sri Lanka.”
That is a highly unlikely prospect because Prabhakaran, who made suicide bombing an effective weapon of war long before Al-Qaeda did, orders his fighters to take cyanide in case of capture and is rumored to carry a cyanide capsule himself.
Control of Pooneryn means that, for the first time since 1993, the government controls a land route all the way to a ferry that can easily bring supplies to Jaffna. It will also ease military supply lines while cutting off Tiger routes, Colombo-based defence analyst Iqbal Athas said.
“From their secret bases in Tamil Nadu, the Tigers will not be able to bring war material into the western coast,” Athas said, referring to the nearby Tamil-majority state across the Palk Strait in India. Athas said it foreshadowed a brutal battle for Kilinochchi, the capture of which would give the military strategic and morale gains while energising Rajapaksa's political base.
“Capturing Pooneryn is very significant, but now they have a more responsible task of securing the areas captured,” he said. “The rebels are throwing all they have to secure Kilinochchi.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.