Lankan troops demolish LTTE offensive, kill 107 rebels

Government forces mowed down at least 107 Tamil militants and lost 17 of their men when they repulsed a major Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack in northern Sri Lanka on Friday night.

A military spokesman said bodies of 107 militants were recovered from the west of Omanthai after the LTTE withdrew at dawn. He said the number of rebels killed could be higher.

This is the LTTE's worst debacle since they lost more than 250 men in an abortive attack in Weloya in July 1995.

The attack came a day after an estimated 50 militants were killed and 30 injured in a mortar and artillery duel at Nedunkerni, about 30 km northeast of Omanthai.

Troops said 17 soldiers died and 14 injured in the battle.

The attack came amidst reports that the security forces were poised to resume their stalled offensive to capture the strategic Vavuniya-Jaffna highway.

The security forces had advanced about 18 km from Vavuniya along the highway after launching 'Operation Jayasikuru', (sure victory) in early June.

The advance through Omanthai, about 10 km from Vavuniya, had been stopped a few km south of the key Puliyankulam township after the LTTE struck back with a series of counter-attacks.

Another column of troops had advanced from the eastern coast simultaneously and captured Nedunkerni township, about 32 km northeast of Omanthai and just south of the dense Mullaitivu jungles, where the LTTE has several major camps, including the hideout of its chief V Prabhakaran.

The LTTE's London office, meanwhile, said their fighters halted an attempt by the security forces to advance towards Puliyankulam with a counter-strike.

"Sri Lankan forces, backed by heavy artillery and moving in battle tanks and armoured vehicles, had attempted a sudden push towards their goal, Puliyankulam. But LTTE forces hit back decisively halting the invading forces in their tracks," it said.

The statement added that Sri Lankan air force jets bombed the coastal areas and jungle settlements close to Nedunkerni.

Meanwhile, the United States appears to be moving closer to declaring the LTTE a 'terrorist organisation'.

The senate has 'unanimously' proposed such a move, a Sri Lankan foreign ministry release said.

UNI