January23, 2007:
The army now controls 95 percent of east Sri Lanka, which used to be
largely under LTTE rule. The LTTE faction, the Karuna group, is assisting the
army in hunting down remaining LTTE fighters. More moderate Tamil groups in the
east have met to form a new coalition, to oppose the LTTE at a national
level.
January
22, 2007: In the east, several smaller LTTE bases were taken, and the LTTE
suffered over a hundred casualties in the process. In the north, an LTTE
boat came up against a cargo ship and exploded. The cargo ship, carrying food
for people trapped in the government held city of Trincomalee, was damaged, and
was towed away to where it could be repaired.
January
21, 2007: In the north, where the hard core LTTE hold sway, the fighting has
been limited to artillery fire and ambushes.
January
20, 2007: Soldiers are screening the thousands of civilian refugees from the
fighting, because LTTE fighters have been caught trying to hide among the
crowds. Several LTTE leaders have been captured because of the screening.
January
19, 2007: Noting that the LTTE communications were heavily dependent on cell
phones, the government had the phone companies temporarily cut off cell phone
service in eastern Sri Lanka. This affected half a million customers, and left
only the rickety landline phones working. Nationwide, about 75 percent of the
nations six million phone customers use cell phones.
The
army captured the town of Vakarai LTTE in the east. This was long a major LTTE
base. Fighting around the town caused at least 10,000 civilians to flee. Nearly
400 LTTE fighters were killed during the final defense of the town.
January
18, 2007: In eastern Sri Lanka, the LTTE has virtually taken over a major
hospital, both to treat their many wounded, but also to get some relief from
air force bombing attacks. The fighting, especially in the east, is causing
several hundred casualties a day now.
January
17, 2007: The air force is getting more target information from LTTE territory
in the east, and is hitting more targets, and more important ones (like ammo
supplies and artillery positions.)