January16, 2007:
Fighting in the east increased, leaving at least thirty dead. The
increased fighting with the LTTE resulted in over 3,500 people dying in 2006.
About 30 percent of the total were civilians in LTTE controlled territory.
Often, these people died while being used as human shields. Because of this
sort of thing, over 200,000 people, mostly Tamils, fled the areas where
fighting was taking place. Nearly ten percent of those moved to India (Tamil
Nadu, the ancestral home of Sri Lankan Tamils). Now the fighting has gone
against the LTTE in a big way, with base camps, immune to government attack for
years, falling. Even experienced LTTE leaders are surrendering, hoping to cut
deals before it all ends, and there is a demand for war crimes trials. Also
being rounded up are police officials that were found to be paid informants for
the LTTE. The capture of LTTE camps included seizure of LTTE intelligence
files. Also found were rooms apparently used to torture captives.
January
15, 2007: In the east, army and LTTE artillery exchanged fire. The LTTE has
nearly a hundred artillery pieces, most of them Cold War surplus 122mm
howitzers. The LTTE have been running short of ammunition because of the naval
blockade, and air force attacks on ammo supplies.
January
13, 2007: The army captured three LTTE camps, yielding more intelligence
information, and causing more LTTE fighters to desert. This was because the
camps contained food and medical supplies, as well as vehicles and other equipment.
All is now lost of the local LTTE organizations. Another camp was bombed,
resulting in a large explosion, indicating an ammo dump had been hit.
January
11, 2007: In eastern Sri Lanka, troops captured another LTTE camps. Also taken
were documents, which indicated some interesting details of LTTE intelligence
work. Apparently the LTTE had senior police and military officials who would
sell them information.
January
10, 2007: Fighting in eastern Sri Lanka left at least 16 dead. The fighting
there involves three factions; the army, the LTTE and a breakaway LTTE faction
(the Karuna Group.) The LTTE are losing ground, and supporters, rapidly.
In
the capital, police searched for LTTE terrorists, and arrested 44 Tamils who
did not have proper identification.