Rafik Jalaldeen
JAFFNA: The Navy foiled a Sea Tiger attack on the Delft islands killing 18 LTTE cadres including four leaders yesterday morning.
The Navy also destroyed four LTTE suicide boats and severely damaged two others with the assistance of the Air Force. The Navy successfully repulsed the attack.
Four sailors were killed and four others injured.
“The Navy observed two LTTE boats trying to infiltrate the Delft islands. They went into action and attacked the LTTE boats which were spying on the Navy coast guard.
“Following this, 16 sea Tiger boats including six suicide boats attacked the Navy,” Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said.
“The sea battle lasted for four hours from 1.30 a.m to 4.30 a.m. The sailors foiled the attack successfully causing heavy damage to the sea Tiger cadres,” Brigadier Samarasinghe said.
He said according to the LTTE communication intercepts more than 18 sea Tiger cadres have been killed. This included four leaders. The Navy also destroyed four LTTE suicide boats out of the 18 and severely damaged another two.
“We believe that the LTTE suffered heavy damage. The sailors retaliated the attack with the assistance of the Air Force,” he added.
He said Tiger boats fleeing towards the Nachikuda and Wedithalthivu were attacked by the Air Force. It destroyed two Tiger suicide boats.
The LTTE flotilla had come to the Delft island (42 square kilometres) from Mannar and Pooneryn and attacked the Navy guard from the ground.
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