March 24,
2008: So far this year, over 2,300 LTTE fighters, and nearly 150 soldiers have
died. The army attacks are capturing LTTE fortifications, and taking villages
back from the rebels. The army is planning on recovering all LTTE territory in
the north by the end of the year. To that end, more troops and special police
are being moved from former LTTE territory in eastern Sri Lanka, to the north.
The eastern areas still have some LTTE fighters wandering around, but they are
more a nuisance than a threat.
The air
force has managed to overcome the loss of its maritime patrol aircraft, and its
radar, to an LTTE raid late last year. The growing number of captured LTTE
fighters has provided location information on many LTTE installations in the
north. The air force is confirming these locations and bombing them. This
included a recent attack that destroyed an LTTE radar station on the north
coast. For over a decade, the LTTE has been using portable radar stations along
the coast, to coordinate the movement of its smuggling boats, and to keep an
eye out of navy patrol boats.
March 23,
2008: An Israeli made Dvora class patrol
boat was sunk by an LTTE naval mine off the north east coast. The LTTE denies
using mines, and says their commandoes attacked and destroyed the boat. Two
years ago, the LTTE said it was going to use magnetic mines (which lie on the
bottom, in shallow water, and go off when the metal of a boat is detected
overhead), but nothing ever came of it. It's also possible that LTTE scuba
divers attached explosives to the side of the navy patrol boat. At least six of
the 14 sailors on board survived, so it's likely the real reason will be
uncovered. The navy has about fifty patrol boats, of which the 80 foot long
Dvoras are the most effective. Another Dvora was lost to LTTE suicide bombers two
years ago.
