Kilinochchi is captured - President tells the nation

"A short while ago, our brave and heroic troops have fully captured Kilinohchi that was considered the main bastion of the LTTE. Our brave troops have completely taken over the fortress of the LTTE that has been described by our own leaders and accepted internationally as the most powerful terrorist organization in the world," said President Mahinda Rajapaksa announcing the capture of Kilinochchi to the nation at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon. (Jan 02).

"Whatever the words or language used to describe it, this is truly an incomparable victory. What our heroic troops have achieved is not only the capture of the great fortress of the LTTE, but a major victory in the world's battle against terrorism. The entire world must today appreciate the outstanding success of the Sri Lankan troops.," the President said.
Here is the text of the Presidents announcement on the fall of Kilinochchi:

Venerable Members of the Maha Sangha,

Members of the clergy of all other religions,

My dear friends, who represent all communities and religions in Sri Lanka.

You will recall that two weeks ago I told you from this very place that the New Year that will dawn will be the Year of Heroic Victory of our troops.

Today, on the second day of this heroic year, I am now ready to reveal to you the proud news of the most honourable victory in the annals of military heroism that runs through many centuries of our history.

Friends

Although the leader of the LTTE had said only a few days ago that the capture of Kilinochchi was only a dream of Mahinda Rajapaksa, in truth it was not my dream alone. It was the constant dream of all Sri

Lankans, whether Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim, who are opposed to separatism, racism, and terrorism, and have always, sought peace, freedom and democracy. Today our heroic troops have made that dream a reality.

A short while ago, our brave and heroic troops have fully captured Kilinohchi that was considered the main bastion of the LTTE. Our have troops have completely taken over the fortress of the LTTE that has been described by our own leaders and accepted internationally as the most powerful terrorist organization in the world.

Whatever the words or language used to describe it, this is truly an incomparable victory. What our heroic troops have achieved is not only the capture of the great fortress of the LTTE, but a major victory in the world's battle against terrorism. The entire world must today appreciate the outstanding success of the Sri Lankan troops.

One must not belittle this victory as one that has been won by one community over another. It should not be interpreted as defeat of the North by the South. This is a victory for our entire nation and country. It is a decisive victory over savage terrorism that was playing around with the blood, muscle and sinews of humans. It is a victory over venomous separatism that sought to divide people on grounds of race and religion.

There were some who tried to present Kilinochchi as the capital of a separate state. We have seen in the recent past how this was believed not only by the international media but also by those engaged in diplomacy. No more is this capital of its dream separate state the property of the LTTE. The mandate given to me by the people in the Presidential Election of 2005 was to ensure that the entire country is governed under a single legal system. It was to affirm the unity of the country that had been divided through various agreements. We directed the Armed Forces and all defence agencies to implement that mandate given by the people. Today we see those expectations becoming a reality. 2009 has already increased our faith is the success of this achievement.
Friends

Our heroic troops have sacrificed much to achieve this extraordinary victory. They sacrificed their limbs, organs and lives for this noble task. Therefore, on this victorious occasion it is but right that we remain grateful to those heroic troops who have sacrificed so much for the country. On this historic occasion, as the Head of State, I extend the honour and gratitude of the entire nation to our heroic troops. Similarly, I bestow the honour and gratitude of the entire country on the Chief of Staff, Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Secretary of Defence, and all commanding officers who gave leadership to this historic victory.

It is necessary to include all of the citizens of Sri Lanka as stakeholders in this great victory. History will record the manner in which you have rejected the many conspiracies that were launched to betray and prevent this victory, and assisted in this great task with true and honest love for the motherland. All of us have given the necessary leadership to this battle in our own way, fearless of the dangers to our lives.
Friends

Our motherland wants you to have this commitment and patience for a short while longer. I call upon you to continue with your commitment to the country until the final act of this false Eelam struggle is played to its finish in the small territory of jungle in Mullaitivu it is confined to today, and the LTTE is fully and finally defeated. I also wish to send a message; the final message to the LTTE, to lay down their arms and surrender.

The time is not very far when the people of the north who have been held hostage by the LTTE for several decades will be able to enjoy the freedom that is their right. As the Head of State of Sri Lanka I give you my pledge today, that not only shall we accept the responsibility to ensure your own security and freedom, but the future security and freedom of your children, too.

Let us all be committed to build one Sri Lankan nation that stands with dignity and pride under a single flag. Let us pledge to be a single nation in an undivided country. Our collective commitment will undoubtedly rise above all obstacles and challenges that may lie ahead.

May you be blessed by the Noble Triple Gem

May you receive the blessings of all Deities.

Kilinochchi liberated- Countdown to extinction begins for LTTE

The 57 Division and the Task Force 1 of Sri Lanka Army today (Jan 2) scored the greatest victory in their noble battle against terrorism by liberating the Kilinochchi town, the so-called administrative hub of the LTTE terrorists.

Troops of 57 Division lead by Major General Jagath Dias have entered into the highly defended terrorists stronghold from the South and Southwestern boundaries while the Task Force 1 troops lead by Brigadier Shavendra Silva have marched in from the North and Northwest.

Kilinochchi, though not very strategically located in terms of military maneuvers, has been given a great symbolic importance by the LTTE terrorists as their administrative "capital". In fact, the LTTE propaganda elements used to call the town as their de facto capital of the utopian state of "Eelam". However , Sri Lanka government has been running all civil administrative affairs in the area, including bank and finance, education, health, trade and welfare .

The terrorist first took hold of the town in 1990 when the Army withdrew its garrisons from Kilinochchi. Then the area was liberated by the Army during operations Sathjaya I, II, and III in September 1996. The town again fell into the terrorists' hand in September 1998 and had their administrative hub there ever since.

The LTTE is a ruthless terrorists outfit that has been engaged in a bloody terrorist campaign against the citizens of Sri Lanka since 1983. Lead by a psychopathic chief , the outfit has been trying to establish an ethnically pure Tamil state on the Sri Lankan soil. The LTTE is also the first terrorist outfit to use suicide bombers, and to develop naval and aerial fighting capability. The outfit is listed in the UN list of shame for using child soldiers and banned in many countries in the world.

LTTE suicide bomb explosion in Colombo

A female LTTE suicide bomber has exploded herself in front of the Air Force camp in Slave Island , Colombo this evening causing damages to a civilians bus plying from Moratuwa to Pettha (Jan 2).

According to the available information, the suicide bomber has exploded herself in front of the entrance of the Air Force camp down the C.A. Gardiner road around 5.15PM. One person has been killed and at least 22 others suffered injuries. The injured have been rushed to the National Hospital, Colombo.

On Sunday (Dec 28) LTTE carried out a suicide blast close to a Roman Catholic Church at Wattala killing 6 people and wounding 29 others.

Army 57 Div links up with TF1; control established on A-9 from Omanthai- Paranthan

Sri Lanka Army 57 Division troops approaching Kilinochchi town from the South have linked up with troops of the Task Force 1 advancing from the North this afternoon (Jan 2).

According to the battlefield reports, now the Army has established control over the A-9 road (Jaffna- Kandy) from Omanthai to Paranthan.

Earlier this morning, troops of 571 Brigade lead by Lieutenant Colonel Harendra Ranasinghe spearheading from the South gained control over the Kilinochchi railway station.

Defence.lk sources on the front reveal that LTTE cadres have taken to their heels . Battle of Kilinochchi still in progress

More ... to be followed

Army , Air Force Chiefs dismiss allegations level against security forces by unpatriotic politicians

(By Walter Jayawardhana)

Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka's Army Commander and Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshall Roshan Goonetilleke have totally rejected the statements made by United National Party leader Ranil Wickramasinghe that quick and complete attention have not been provided to soldiers who are injured at the war front to save their lives.

Fonseka said in a statement broadcast by the state owned Independent Television Network (ITN), " The security forces have enough helicopters to transport all injured soldiers immediately from the battlefield to necessary hospitals and after immediate treatment, if necessary there are enough transport planes to transfer them to Colombo for further specialized medical attention." In a sweeping statement he rejected the UNP leaders utterances as "untruth" and "distortions" meant to mislead.

This is the first time the country's Opposition Leader had to be contradicted in a statement so strong as this by the country's armed forces. Fonseka said, most of the soldiers hit in the battlefield are by the heavy artillery and mortars possessed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) "that were allowed to be smuggled into the country by politicians during the days of the Ceasefire Agreement and the very leaders who allowed those weapons into the country should be directly responsible for the injuries caused to the soldiers," in an obvious atttack on Wickremasinghe. Many shiploads of weapons were allowed to be taken into the country during the time of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe while the country's Navy was asked to show a Nelsonian eye to the activities of the LTTE as a measure to save the Ceasfire Agreement, years ago.

Both Lieutenant General Fonseka , the Army Commander and Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshall Roshan Goonetilleke in televised statements said the Opposition Leader's statement as "complete distortion of the truth" and " a lie" probably concocted to sabotage the recruitment to the security forces all over the nation "by misleading the masses."

Fonseka and Goonetilleke said, injured soldiers are directly transported to Palali, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa ,Mannar , Ampara hospitals etc directly from the battlefields by helicopters and from those places to Colombo if further treatment is wanted. Fonseka said there are enough transport planes coming to Colombo to transfer such soldiers.

Ranil Wickremasinghe's closest political ally Mangala Samaraweera had earlier said the present commander of the armed forces does not know warfare and that's why so many have died. Samaraweera was quoted having said that " lives of soldiers are being sacrificed because the defence secretary and army commander do not have an understanding or strategy to conduct the war." In an obvious reference to Samaraweera , the Army Commander said, it is ridiculous that people who oppose warring with the Tamil Tigers are now trying to instruct them about war strategy.

He said the strategy of the government is definitely based on years of past experience and the successful results are now showing by our valiant soldiers and their officers by using it. They are now poised to strike Kilinochchi and Mulativu. He said, " if we took time off for the monsoon and floods we would have given an advantage over us to the LTTE. But our brave soldiers fought regardless and today we are at an advantage over them." The Army Commander said our forces have successfully run over Iranamadu cross roads and Paranthan leading to their military targets.

TF 1 captures Karadipokku junction - Kilinochchi

Victorious troops of Task Force 1 on aggressive advances towards the heart of Kilinochchi have reported another victory against LTTE terrorists by gaining control over the Karadipokku junction located between Paranthan and Kilinochchi along the A-9 main road by last evening, 01 January.

The Karadipokku junction is the northern edge of the Kilinochchi garrison and troops continued their advance from Paranthan to Kilinochchi captured this strategically vital place giving early signs of fall of Kilinochchi.

According to the latest information received from the front said LTTE's well-famous "93 Base", the main command and administrative centre of LTTE female cadres, is also now under army's control.

The Electronic Warfare (EW) sources confirmed that an LTTE's support group commander, known as Ilamperiyan, who commanded the Paranthan battle was killed in fierce fighting ensued on 31 December. He was later given the self-styled 'Lt. Colonel' rank, EW sources further confirmed citing LTTE communication channels.

Fall of Kilinochchi imminent

The fall of Kilinochchi is imminent as the security forces have already entered into the Kilinochchi town perimeter from the northern, southern and western edges of Kilinochchi town, defence sources in battlefront said.

Troops engaged in multi-pronged offensive operation continued their military thrust on LTTE defences in Kilinochchi. After capturing the Paranthan built-up in early hours yesterday, 01 Jan, battle formations of Task Force 1 accelerated their advances towards Kilinochchi from west and north of Kilinochchi.

Troops attached to 10 Gajaba Regiment (GR) and 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) battalion are advancing towards Kilinochchi from the East of A -9 road whilst troops attached to 12 Gajaba Regiment and 6 Gemunu Watch (GW) battalion are advancing towards Kilinochchi town from the West of A-9 road.

Simultaneously, troops of 57 Division operating from west and south of Kilinochchi areas have also continued their advanced towards LTTE heartland Kilinochchi after gaining total control over the once LTTE stronghold located south of Kilinochchi, the Adampan town.

The 572 and 571 Brigades are advancing towards the centre of Kilinochchi from the West and South West direction and are operating closer to the A-9 road. Meanwhile troops of 574 Brigade who have gained control over the Iranamadu junction are now operating beyond the junction, the latest military reports said

There are no any option available with LTTE terrorists other than to flee towards the jungle patches in Puthukuduiruppu and Vishvamadu in the East of Iranamadu tank as troops aggressively advancing towards the heart of Kilinochchi in all fronts without leaving any room for the LTTE to operate there.

Paranthan LTTE garrison captured: Troops make headway at Wanni battles [03rd Lead]

"Paranthan junction and its surrounding areas are now under the total control of the security forces", latest reports from the Wanni battlefront read.

The Paranthan LTTE garrison has been captured by the Task Force -1 troops today (Jan 01) early morning, following hours of bitter fighting ensued between troops and LTTE, military sources said. The fall of Paranthan marks the dominance of security forces at the township after a decade.

The battle for Paranthan began in the early hours on Tuesday (30) when the TF-1 armor, artillery and infantry battalions commenced launching a concerted assault on the garrison town while, Army forward domination elements took on the well fortified LTTE resistance positions during surprise maneuvers made behind enemy lines.

Troops have also cutoff the vital access routes towards Paranthan along the A-9 road from North and South, reportedly killing over 50 terrorists, while injuring twice as many numbers during the intense battles, military source said.

The Paranthan LTTE garrison is strategically located, approximately 4.5km North of Kilinochchi along the A-9 trunk route and on the southern sector of Elephant Pass, another LTTE foothold, according to ground troops.

Troops of the TF-1, commanded by Brigadier Shavendra Silva, entered the Paranthan built-up assisted with close combat air support of the SLAF jets and MI-24 helicopter gunships, Wednesday morning (Dec 31). LTTE resistances and counterattacks were outflanked by the intense military armour attacks and concentrated artillery and mortar fire, ground troops said. The fighting was fierce and prolonged for hours until terrorists were completely beaten by the determined soldiers, the sources added. LTTE fighting formations mainly from the Imran Pandiyan unit led by its 'Kilinochchi-in-charge', Velavan and Jerom had made successive attempts to gain lost ground only to be left with more casualties and damages, military sources said.

Unable to withstand the fury of the combined Army and Air force onslaught, LTTE terrorists withdrew from the town in total disarray. Having inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, troops are now consolidating defences and advancing further east of the Paranthan junction, security sources added.

Fall of Paranthan would also open a gateway to the LTTE's remaining defences at Vaddakkachchi, and Puthukkudiyiruppu areas on the A-35 road (Paranthan- Mullaittivu), defence observers asserted. Muhamalai in the southern peninsular neck will also be untenable for the LTTE, the sources pointed out.

The fall of Paranthan, the well-fortified LTTE garrison has isolated the southern periphery of the Elephant Pass LTTE foothold and has also exposed the LTTE's main fortification at Kilinochchi, defence observers further said.

The chemical factory was the hallmark of Paranthan, providing direct and indirect income to many locals. In 1986 SLA positioned a small administrative base at Paranthan, which was linked to the main base at Kilinochchi. LTTE disrupted civil administration in the area in early 1990s.

SLA liberated it from the LTTE grip during the 'Sathjaya 1 & 2' military campaign conducted on Sep, 1996. However, troops had to make a tactical withdrawal in September 1998", Army sources said.

SLAF continues the mission; 4 air raids at LTTE targets

Sri Lanka Air Force has continued their mission bombing identified LTTE targets both in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu district this afternoon, 01 January.

Four air attacks were launched this afternoon targeting enemy positions in Kilinochchi and Mullattivu, air force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said.

SLAF fighter jets raided LTTE command center located 1Km east of Paranthan around 1.45 PM and an LTTE gathering in 1.5Km east of Paranthan was targeted at 4.45 PM, air force spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, MI-24 helicopters launched close air support mission to assist troops of 59 Division targeting LTTE defences in 7Km west of Mullaittivu at 3.45 PM.

Separately, fighter jets raided an LTTE reinforcement gathering observed 1Km northeast of Kilinochchi town at 5.45 PM, spokesperson added.

57 Div liberates Iranamdu junction: LTTE flee with heavy casualties

Troops of the 57 Division have liberated the Iranamadu junction this morning (Jan 01) after weeks of fierce battles ensued with LTTE at the Kilinochchi battlefront, Wanni military sources said.

LTTE terrorists put-on stiff resistance at the advancing military formations from this vital ground, which is also considered a strategically important terror stronghold along the A-9 trunk road, 6km South of Kilinochchi. Troops of the 574 Brigade ran into the remaining LTTE positions, backed by concentrated armour, artillery and mortar fire from the rear support flanks. SLAF jets and helicopter gunships provided close air support to the advancing infantry battalions during a string of flight missions conducted, since initial fighting that broke out between troops and LTTE in the area.

The fall of Iranamadu scores consecutive battle defeats to LTTE at the Kilinochchi battlefront, followed by the loss of Paranthan early on Thursday(01) morning. According to latest battlefield reports received, troops are now making further advances eastward of the Iranamadu junction while consolidating positions in the area, security sources said.

LTTE's defeat at its main garrison township at Kilinochchi is inevitable with troops advancing on three fronts continue to cripple the last LTTE fortifications in the area, security sources said.