Srilankan army suffers record losses

starsiege · 10-12-2006, 13:19 PM

Quote:

Sri Lanka peace talks in doubt as military suffers record losses

by Amal Jayasinghe 1 hour, 8 minutes ago

COLOMBO (AFP) - Planned Sri Lankan peace talks have been thrown into doubt after the government said Tamil Tiger rebels killed at least 129 soldiers, the most in one battle since a truce was agreed in 2002.
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Among the dead were 74 soldiers the government said were captured and then killed, "violating all norms and regulations of human rights and Geneva conventions".

The military said at least 515 more soldiers were wounded in Wednesday's fighting, which followed a push into rebel territory in the northern peninsula of Jaffna.

More than 200 rebels were killed, the defence ministry said in a statement. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rejected the tally and said they lost only 10 fighters.

Government forces attacked again on Thursday, using war planes to bomb rebel camps and artillery positions.

"Air Force Kfir jets Thursday morning, without taking any further chances, pounded several terrorist targets in Palai area, south of Muhamalai (army defences)," the ministry said in a statement.

It said on Wednesday, 55 soldiers were killed in heavy clashes along the Jaffna peninsula's de facto front line after a pre-emptive strike on a guerrilla build-up.

Later, guerrillas returned the bodies of 74 soldiers belonging to an infantry company attacked in rebel territory to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The bodies were taken to the military in three trucks, an ICRC official said.

"We have received 74 bodies of Sri Lankan soldiers and they are being transported in three trucks to be handed over to the military," the official said.

The government said four members of the company were still missing along with an unspecified number of other soldiers.

It added the guerrillas had set off a powerful Claymore mine in the government-held territory of Jaffna on Thursday, killing two constables and three civilians.

Government defence officials privately admitted the military, which had enjoyed successes recently, had paid dearly for its failed offensive.

"There is no doubt that the army suffered a bloody nose," said a top defence source, who asked not to be named. "It was a big mistake. There should have been better planning."

The heavy fighting came only hours after Norway's top peace broker, Erik Solheim, had announced a deal between the two sides to resume negotiations in Switzerland later this month.

Retired air force chief Harry Goonetileke said the fighting had dimmed prospects of a resumption of talks.

"I would say that the army fell victim to its own propaganda," Goonetileke said, referring to upbeat media reports of heavy rebel losses in recent months and official claims that the Tigers were on the run.

"With this latest fighting we are getting further away from talks," Goonetileke said.

Before the fighting erupted Wednesday, envoys from Norway and Japan were expected to visit Sri Lanka at the weekend to nudge the warring parties towards negotiations.

The United States, a key backer of Sri Lanka's faltering peace bid, said it was "deeply concerned that ongoing violence in Sri Lanka is putting the agreement (to resume talks) at risk."

Defence analyst Namal Perera of the Ravaya weekly said the military had clearly underestimated the Tigers' strength and had been outmanoeuvred.

"The army walked into a Tiger trap," Perera said. "They got the army to move into an open area, boxed them in and brought down artillery. The Tigers have proved that their fighting capability is intact."

Norway has been working to restore the 2002 ceasefire and end spiralling violence which has claimed over 2,200 lives since December, according to an official tally. Some 60,000 people have been killed in the three-decades-old conflict.

Quote:

By Simon Gardner 1 hour, 52 minutes ago

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels on Thursday handed over the bodies of 74 soldiers killed in a battle a day earlier to the Red Cross, taking the army's death toll in one of the worst clashes since a 2002 truce to at least 129.
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Nearly 300 soldiers were wounded in the fighting on Wednesday around the besieged government-held enclave of Jaffna in the far north. The violence is spurring fears that peace talks scheduled for the end of the month may be canceled.

On Thursday, a suspected rebel roadside bomb attack in Jaffna killed five people. Artillery duels continued to rage in the area. Residents heard fighter jets fly toward Tiger territory and explosions in the distance.

"We have handed over the dead. We have also recovered a large amount of weapons, including 98 semiautomatic rifles and a light anti-tank weapon," said Tiger military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan.

"This is very good. As usual, we will take these weapons and use them against the military to fight for the freedom of our homeland."

The military had already recovered the bodies of 55 troops killed during Wednesday's battle. A huge total of 283 soldiers were wounded. It accused the Tigers of capturing soldiers and murdering them in cold blood.

The military believes it killed around 200 Tiger rebels. The rebels say 22 of their fighters died.

Red Cross officials were taking the 74 corpses to the southern border crossing between government and Tiger territory, where they were to be handed over to the military.

The Tigers and the military accuse each other of provoking Wednesday's fighting, which political analysts and the international community fear could derail the upcoming talks, scheduled to be held in Geneva.

Mediator Norway said its special peace envoy, Jon Hanssen-Bauer, would visit Sri Lanka next week, his second visit in a month, while the island's chief financial donor, Japan, was due to send its own envoy, Yasushi Akashi.

The fighting, some of the worst since the truce, came after the Tigers warned that any further military incursions could prompt a full-blown return to a war that has killed more than 65,000 people since 1983, including hundreds since the ceasefire.

The latest rash of fighting alarmed Washington.

"The United States welcomes the agreement between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to return to talks ... but is deeply concerned that ongoing violence in Sri Lanka is putting the agreement at risk," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement in Washington.

"We call on both sides to cease hostilities immediately and foster an environment that is conducive to holding productive discussions in Geneva," he added.

Srilankan army bungled up big time this time too. till the bodies were handed over to the red cross by the LTTE the Sl government was claiming that only 30 soldiers died. now the toll stands at 130ish..and many assume that the real number is twice that. around 400 are wounded, 200 of them in critical condition. The srilankan army lost 4 tanks, 3 seriously damaged while another was totally destroyed.the rebels had 22 casulaties

this srilankan army venture into the LTTE area came after a warning by the ltte that the sl army was planning an oaffensive into their area. i guess the ltte did more than just protesting about the fortcoming battle but also did prepare well(as they always do) as evident from the Army casulty figures

WARNIG:Grusome pics in this news article
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19883

when will the sl army learn that they cant win this war?.they must be pretty dense in their heads. and of course the srilankan politicians have all their kids abroad, hence they worry little about the death off the poor young men who go join the army cos of poverty. i have met many srilankan army personal and they all look so naive and imature compared to their LTTE counterparts. the training for a front like srilankan army soldier is only 18 weeks!!!!

but then again,yesterdays attack was spearheaded by the srilankan armies slite 53r regiment(trianed by the us rangers and stuff) and they bungle up magnificantly. as they did before..with about 600-700 out of action the regiment is practicaly decimated

From BBC

Quote:

Sri Lanka clashes kill 129 troops
A Sri Lankan Army soldier rides atop an armoured personnel carrier
Clashes between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil Tigers have multiplied
At least 129 Sri Lankan army soldiers were killed in fierce fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels on Wednesday close to the northern city of Jaffna.

The army said it had collected 55 bodies, while Tamil Tiger rebels handed over 74 more to the Red Cross.

The toll is the worst the army has suffered in one day since a 2002 ceasefire called a temporary halt to the country's 23-year civil war.

Fighting between the two sides has increased markedly over the past year.

Army spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told BBC News that 283 soldiers had also been injured in fighting that lasted from dawn to dusk on Wednesday.

One soldier was captured by the rebels, Brig Samarasinghe said.

Later a spokesman for the Red Cross, Sukumar Rockwood, told the BBC Sinhala service that they had handed over 74 bodies received in Kilinochchi from the Tamil Tigers to the army.

Disputed figures

The army said that it had killed 200 rebels, although the Tamil Tigers only confirmed losing 22 fighters from their side.

Independent confirmation of rebel casualties is impossible to obtain and both sides in the conflict routinely magnify or minimise casualty figures to their benefit.

map

The fighting has been close to a strategic causeway linking Jaffna to the mainland.

The city is controlled by the government, but sits in the midst of rebel territory at the northern tip of the island.

Ethirajan Anbarasan of the BBC's Tamil Service says that the Sri Lankan army's apparent attempts to gain more territory seem to have backfired.

He adds that the intensity of the clashes and the high casualty figures indicate the difficulties, after more than 20 years of civil war, of achieving a military solution to the conflict.

Bloody nose

A senior Sri Lankan military source described the clash as a setback.

"There is no doubt that the army suffered a bloody nose," the anonymous source told AFP news agency.

"It was a big mistake. There should have been better planning."

The BBC's Dumeetha Luthra says that talks between the two sides planned for later this month are now hanging in the balance.

On Tuesday, Norway's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar, told the BBC that the rebels had confirmed they were ready to meet the government on 28 and 29 October in Switzerland.

Tamil Tiger rebels
The rebels want an independent homeland

However, he said the Tigers had told him they could reconsider their decision if the situation on the ground deteriorated.

The US state department said it was "deeply concerned" that the violence was harming hopes of peace talks.

"We call on both sides to cease hostilities immediately and foster an environment that is conducive to holding productive discussions in Geneva," spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement.

Sri Lankan government spokesman Anura Priya Yapa said that talks would be going ahead despite the latest bloodshed.

"There is no change of plans on the talks and the decision (to attend) remains," he told Reuters.

Continuing clashes

The clashes on Wednesday lasted up to 12 hours, with residents in the town of Jaffna saying they could hear the noise of heavy artillery in the distance.

An army statement said that air force jets pounded rebel positions on Thursday morning, while rebels continued to shell the army's front line.

Both sides maintain they are acting defensively, our correspondent says, and have retained the right to do so despite agreeing to resume discussions.

The conflict has claimed more than 2,000 lives since it flared again last December, and before the 2002 ceasefire more than 60,000 people were killed in two decades of civil war.

The Tamil Tigers are fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east of the country, and claim that ethnic Tamils have suffered decades of discrimination at the hands of Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority.

667medic · 10-12-2006, 13:53 PM

The Sinhalese deserved this. If anyone has been following the Sinhalese media, the monks and that JVP dog Amarasinghe have been calling for open war with the Tamils as the Sinhalese army has had some successes recently.
These recent battle has shown that the Tamils have retained their fighting capacity inspite of the so called successes of the Sinhalese army and Quislings like Karuna....

starsiege · 10-12-2006, 13:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 667medic

The Sinhalese deserved this. If anyone has been following the Sinhalese media, the monks and that JVP dog Amarasinghe have been calling for open war with the Tamils as the Sinhalese army has had some successes recently.
These recent battle has shown that the Tamils have retained their fighting capacity inspite of the so called successes of the Sinhalese army and Quislings like Karuna....

true, and also the ealier so called" government victories" that prompted the JVP and the monks to think they can win wwere alsmo to a large part government propaganda!

667medic · 10-12-2006, 14:22 PM

The tragedy is that the people paying the price for the intransigence of the Monks and JVP are the Tamils and the SLA soldiers, most of whom are poor Sinhalese villagers. When will the Monks and JVP realise that there is no military solution for their problem..

starsiege · 10-12-2006, 14:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 667medic

The tragedy is that the people paying the price for the intransigence of the Monks and JVP are the Tamils and the SLA soldiers, most of whom are poor Sinhalese villagers. When will the Monks and JVP realise that there is no military solution for their problem..

exactly!

Jay · 10-12-2006, 14:39 PM

As some source said, it is infact a bloddy nose for SLA after a string of victories in the last 2-3 instances. They were emboldened by their success and paid a huge price now. The tigers would be celeberating this big time.

starsiege · 10-12-2006, 14:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay

As some source said, it is infact a bloddy nose for SLA after a string of victories in the last 2-3 instances. They were emboldened by their success and paid a huge price now. The tigers would be celeberating this big time.

Quote:

Sri Lanka military reels after mauling by Tigers

Amal Jayasinghe

Friday, October 13, 2006

Plans for Sri Lankan peace talks were in the balance Thursday after Tamil Tiger rebels inflicted heavy losses on government troops in fighting that left hundreds killed and injured.

The army admitted that at least 72 soldiers, including eight officers, were killed and 515 wounded on the northern peninsula of Jaffna Wednesday, the biggest loss since a Norwegian- brokered truce early in 2002.

And government officials said that the military - which appeared to be on a roll recently - paid dearly for its latest offensive. "There is no doubt that the army suffered a bloody nose," said a top defence source. "It was a big mistake. There should have been better planning."

The government claimed 200 rebels were killed, but that was dismissed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which said only 10 of its fighters were killed.

The Tigers also handed over the bodies of 75 government troops to the International Red Cross Thursday. According to the pro-rebel Nitharsanam Web site, at least 120 Sri Lankan troops had been killed during the fighting.

The clashes came only hours after Norway's top peace broker, Erik Solheim, had announced a deal between the two sides to resume negotiations in Switzerland later this month.

Retired air force chief Harry Goonetileke, who said the fighting had dimmed the prospect of a resumption of talks, thought "the army fell victim to its own propaganda." He was referring to upbeat media reports of rebel losses in recent months and official claims the Tigers were on the run.

The Sri Lankan military maintained it had launched the offensive as a pre- emptive strike against a guerrilla build- up. But defense analyst Namal Perera of the Ravaya weekly said the military underestimated the Tamil Tigers' strength and had been outmanoeuvred.

The Tigers "got the army to move into an open area, boxed them in, and brought down artillery," he said.

President Mahinda Rajapakse ordered ministers to attend to the welfare of victims as more than 100 troops were evacuated to hospitals in the capital, Colombo.

Norway has been working to save the 2002 ceasefire and end spiralling violence, which has claimed more than 2,200 lives since December, according to an official tally. Some 60,000 people have been killed in 30 years of conflict.

Envoys from Norway and Japan are expected in Sri Lanka at the weekend to meet the warring parties and nudge them toward talks, which officials in Colombo insisted are still on track.

Meanwhile, the United States, a key backer of talks, said it is "deeply concerned" by the latest bloodshed. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

"The Sri Lankan military maintained it had launched the offensive as a pre- emptive strike against a guerrilla build- up. But defense analyst Namal Perera of the Ravaya weekly said the military underestimated the Tamil Tigers' strength and had been outmanoeuvred.

The Tigers "got the army to move into an open area, boxed them in, and brought down artillery," he said."

they walked right into it

Jay · 10-12-2006, 15:04 PM

Sri Lanka military's 'bloody nose'
By Dumeetha Luthra
BBC News, Colombo

Sri Lanka soldier
The military's strategy may have backfired, observers say

At least 129 Sri Lanka soldiers were killed in one day of fighting on Wednesday, and more than 300 soldiers injured.

This figure represents the worst single day of casualties for the military since a ceasefire was signed in 2002.

The government claims it killed more than 200 Tamil Tiger rebels. However, no-one has yet been able to verify that and the rebels say they lost only 22 fighters.

The confrontation took place on the frontlines dividing Tiger-held areas from government-controlled territory in the northern Jaffna peninsula, and came just after both sides agreed to attend talks in Geneva at the end of the month.

Now the fear is the meeting may not happen.

Analysts say the balance of negotiating power may have shifted.

Tiger 'trap'

Previously the government was seen to be willing but reluctant to come to the talks table.

The heavy casualties the forces have suffered could prove an opening for the softer elements within the government to have their voice heard

They had enjoyed several military victories: capturing Sampur, which is strategically placed on the southern edge of the Trincomalee harbour in the north-east of the island.

They had also advanced into Tiger-held territory in the Jaffna peninsula.

There was a clear element within the military and the government which was pressing to fight on and push the advantage in the field to translate into an advantage at the talks table.

The expressed readiness to come to talks was, as one diplomat put it, a sign that the government was open to negotiations - but not quite yet.

However, this strategy may now have backfired.

Both sides go through the rhetoric of claiming to act defensively, and neither side admits to launching any offensives.

This time is no different - both accuse the other of provocation.

Analysts, however, say this was a Sri Lankan government offensive, in which the military has received a bloody nose, having underestimated the strength of the rebels.

The Tigers claim to have been waiting, prepared and expecting this clash. Strategists say the soldiers walked into what was essentially a trap.

Dangerous phase

The international community had hoped that before the proposed talks on 28 October there would be a reduction in the violence.

Rebel fighters
The rebels are accused of using the truce to regroup

In fact, the country's key backers had called for a cessation of hostilities as a necessary precursor to the negotiations.

However, diplomats acknowledge that given the fluidity of the situation in Sri Lanka, the gap of several weeks between the agreement to talk and the date of those discussions was going to be a dangerous phase.

Observers say the military have been keen to push their military advantage while they still have the time; the Tigers for their part want an opportunity to regain a balance of power.

The rebels have never been known to come to the table from a position of weakness.

In fact, ahead of these talks both sides' commitment to the process has been questioned.

According to sceptics, the motivation for the Tigers agreeing to talks was not to resolve the situation, but to use it as an opportunity to regroup.

Even the monsoon rains have been cited as a reason why both sides are considering talking at this point.

Everything, anything, but the reality of a solution to Sri Lanka's conflict.

The agenda for the discussions still hasn't been set. No-one knows what the two sides will even be talking about.

And now the prospect of talks, however slim their chances for a sincere settlement, are hanging in the balance.

There is a real possibility that continued violence could scupper the discussions.

What now?

It is also still unclear how exactly this clash will play out for both sides.

Tamil residents of Jaffna wait to board buses to escape fighting
Fighting in the north has led many civilians to flee their homes

The heavy casualties the forces have suffered could prove an opening for the softer elements within the government to have their voice heard, a move away from the military solution.

However it could also mean the government is now unwilling to come to the table from a position of perceived weakness.

The hardliners may push for a victory to ensure their bargaining strength in Geneva is not weakened.

On the Tiger side, the fact they held their lines, and inflicted such losses on the government, may result in a reluctance for immediate talks.

They may want to regain the territory they lost. On the other hand they may feel that already they have already regained the upper hand.

It is still too early to say what the longer term impact of this clash will be, but the continuing violence does not auger well for any prospective talks.

-The BBC

starsiege · 10-12-2006, 15:15 PM

some pics i found online

a video of tiger stealth boats
the video is from the janes defence weekly

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DN

veera8 · 10-13-2006, 01:28 AM

starseige,
tell me something from
where is LTTE is getting all the needed money to set up a parallel gov with all ammunitions??

are they into arms and drug smulggling ????
i remember a article which mentions that abraod SL tamils are forced or even threatened to pay donations to LTTE . is that true???

starsiege · 10-13-2006, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veera8

starseige,
tell me something from
where is LTTE is getting all the needed money to set up a parallel gov with all ammunitions??

are they into arms and drug smulggling ????
i remember a article which mentions that abraod SL tamils are forced or even threatened to pay donations to LTTE . is that true???

Nah they get most of their money from expatriate tamils. the talk about them being forced is funny cos u have to remember that 90% of expatriate srilankan tamils went abroad cos of the sri lankan governments actions agasint them. they would actually and are more supportive of the LTTE than other tamils.!

and most of the weapons the ltte gets are from 2 main ways

1 by atatcking and ovwerunning srilankan camps(they practically got hundreds of containerlods of weapons from srilankan camps that they attacked. the comtainers wernt even opened yet!.lol by the time the camps were overrun)

they get their tanks, bmps, most of their heavy artillery, and stuff from srilankan army. and the amount it huge!

and did u know that they took over 80 000 mortar rounds that the srilankan government orderd and paid for, from srilanka?

unknown to the gov, the ship that was hired by the gov to transport the mortars tos rilanka was owned by the LTTE! hence they simpy re routed the ship and got the 80 000 mortars!.lol. its one of the worlds biggest such operations and such a big embaressment for srilankan government,
not only did they lose the mortars! but they had even paid for it.lol!

2 they buy weapons from weapons dealers/countries and smuggle them to srilanka using the extensive shipping services they have. LTTE own many major sea vessels,registered under different companies.

recent news is that they used an island off thailand as their staging area, and even practiced there with ex norwegian special forces.

also another factor thats not taken into account is that the HUGE pool of experts from around the world that the LTTE is able to draw help from. Srilankan Tamils always valued education and its a known fact that there are quite a lot of PHds and engineers and professors on a wide vareity of fields amongst them. esp in the expatriate community. The guy supposedly in charge of the LTTE air wing is a guy with 4 PHD's on aeronoutical engineering and was a world renowned expert on microlite aircraft. now he is with the LTTE on SL. Also many experts visit Sl on a 2 or 3 month vacation once every 2 or 3 years and train the LTTE on the latest methods and set up their systems, esp that of communications, weapons and stuff.

they dont smuggle drugs(they might smuggle arms!) cos even ciggerete smoking is prohibited in the LTTE, so is any form of intoxicant. usage of a ciggarete or alchohol was sometimes punished by death. in the early eyars. so no ones dare thoch them now.

starsiege · 10-13-2006, 02:44 AM

Quote:

LTTE hands over 74 SLA bodies to ICRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 October 2006, 03:07 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) handed over 74 dead bodies of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) bodies in black body bags to ICRC Thursday evening in Kilinochchi. One more body was brought to Kilinochchi Thursday evening. There are still more than fifty dead bodies of SLA soldiers, strewn around in the battlefield in unidentifiable state, according to LTTE officials. 133 SLA soldiers were killed in action or reported missing according to the official figures by the Sri Lankan defence ministry media co-ordinating centre Thursday. More than 200 SLA soldiers were killed when LTTE defense formations under Special Commander Col. Theepan defeated the SLA forces Wednesday, LTTE officials claimed.

SLMM officials Lars Bleymann and Gunnar Johannsson at Kilnochchi playground where the recovered bodies were packed into black bags.

The LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan said that the LTTE had seized 16 Multi Purpose Machine Guns (MPMGs), 4 Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers (RPGs), a Grenade Launcher, lite anti-tank weapon, 98 assualt rifles and ammunitions from the Gemunu Watch SLA soldiers.

More than fifty bodies, severely damaged and decomposed state, were still found srewn around inside the LTTE territory and inside the no-go zone, he added.

Most of the dead troopers belonged to the Gemunu Watch of the SLA.

Director of LTTE NGO Liaison Office, Mr. Pavarasan, hands over the details of SLA dead soldiers body bags to ICRC representative Ms. Katja Lawrance.
Director of LTTE's NGO Liaison Office, Pavarasan, handed over 74 black body bags to the ICRC official Katja Lawrance at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Liaison Office in Kilinochchi, Lars Bleymann and Gunnar Johannsson also visited the Kilinochchi Central Playground where the bodies were packed into black bags.

Defence ministry media officials in Colombo reported 78 SLA soldiers as missing action and 55 dead.

283 SLA soldiers were wounded, according to the figures issued by Colombo.

The bodies were brought to Puliyankulam SLA camp in Vavuniya in four vehicles, media sources in Vavuniya said.

(Identification details of more than 50 soldiers, gathered from various identity cards and papers, provided to media by Mr. Pavarasan, will be added to the story)

the link given below
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19906

667medic · 10-13-2006, 04:53 AM

I am wondering why the boots of the fallen soldiers haven't been salvaged. Most of them seem to be in good condition. This might sound gross but then I have seen many pics of LTTE fighters either without footware or wearing sandals.....

starsiege · 10-13-2006, 05:07 AM

i think they dont salvage anything from the dress of a killed soldier. its akin to dishonoring the dead or seomthing..according to them. but their weapons and ammo are for the taking!

did u see the stealth boat video? what do u think? iw asnt able to find the higer res video thou

667medic · 10-13-2006, 06:59 AM

Hey I am only getting a link to a google image. I have seen some videos before but of very low resolution.
The Tigers have some fantastic PR stuff. The problem is that must pay for the videos

10-12-2006, 13:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
667medic *Military Professional* Join Date: 07-22-05 Posts: 1,495 Country:	The Sinhalese deserved this. If anyone has been following the Sinhalese media, the monks and that JVP dog Amarasinghe have been calling for open war with the Tamils as the Sinhalese army has had some successes recently. These recent battle has shown that the Tamils have retained their fighting capacity inspite of the so called successes of the Sinhalese army and Quislings like Karuna.... __________________ Seek Save Serve Medic

10-12-2006, 14:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jay Tamizhanban *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-06-03 Location: Edison, NJ Posts: 6,191 Country:	As some source said, it is infact a bloddy nose for SLA after a string of victories in the last 2-3 instances. They were emboldened by their success and paid a huge price now. The tigers would be celeberating this big time. __________________ A grain of wheat eclipsed the sun of Adam !!

10-12-2006, 15:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
starsiege Banished Join Date: 07-05-06 Posts: 521	some pics i found online a video of tiger stealth boats the video is from the janes defence weekly http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DN Last edited by starsiege : 10-12-2006 at 15:36 PM.

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10-12-2006, 14:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
667medic *Military Professional* Join Date: 07-22-05 Posts: 1,495 Country:	The tragedy is that the people paying the price for the intransigence of the Monks and JVP are the Tamils and the SLA soldiers, most of whom are poor Sinhalese villagers. When will the Monks and JVP realise that there is no military solution for their problem..

10-12-2006, 15:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jay Tamizhanban *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-06-03 Location: Edison, NJ Posts: 6,191 Country:	Sri Lanka military's 'bloody nose' By Dumeetha Luthra BBC News, Colombo Sri Lanka soldier The military's strategy may have backfired, observers say At least 129 Sri Lanka soldiers were killed in one day of fighting on Wednesday, and more than 300 soldiers injured. This figure represents the worst single day of casualties for the military since a ceasefire was signed in 2002. The government claims it killed more than 200 Tamil Tiger rebels. However, no-one has yet been able to verify that and the rebels say they lost only 22 fighters. The confrontation took place on the frontlines dividing Tiger-held areas from government-controlled territory in the northern Jaffna peninsula, and came just after both sides agreed to attend talks in Geneva at the end of the month. Now the fear is the meeting may not happen. Analysts say the balance of negotiating power may have shifted. Tiger 'trap' Previously the government was seen to be willing but reluctant to come to the talks table. The heavy casualties the forces have suffered could prove an opening for the softer elements within the government to have their voice heard They had enjoyed several military victories: capturing Sampur, which is strategically placed on the southern edge of the Trincomalee harbour in the north-east of the island. They had also advanced into Tiger-held territory in the Jaffna peninsula. There was a clear element within the military and the government which was pressing to fight on and push the advantage in the field to translate into an advantage at the talks table. The expressed readiness to come to talks was, as one diplomat put it, a sign that the government was open to negotiations - but not quite yet. However, this strategy may now have backfired. Both sides go through the rhetoric of claiming to act defensively, and neither side admits to launching any offensives. This time is no different - both accuse the other of provocation. Analysts, however, say this was a Sri Lankan government offensive, in which the military has received a bloody nose, having underestimated the strength of the rebels. The Tigers claim to have been waiting, prepared and expecting this clash. Strategists say the soldiers walked into what was essentially a trap. Dangerous phase The international community had hoped that before the proposed talks on 28 October there would be a reduction in the violence. Rebel fighters The rebels are accused of using the truce to regroup In fact, the country's key backers had called for a cessation of hostilities as a necessary precursor to the negotiations. However, diplomats acknowledge that given the fluidity of the situation in Sri Lanka, the gap of several weeks between the agreement to talk and the date of those discussions was going to be a dangerous phase. Observers say the military have been keen to push their military advantage while they still have the time; the Tigers for their part want an opportunity to regain a balance of power. The rebels have never been known to come to the table from a position of weakness. In fact, ahead of these talks both sides' commitment to the process has been questioned. According to sceptics, the motivation for the Tigers agreeing to talks was not to resolve the situation, but to use it as an opportunity to regroup. Even the monsoon rains have been cited as a reason why both sides are considering talking at this point. Everything, anything, but the reality of a solution to Sri Lanka's conflict. The agenda for the discussions still hasn't been set. No-one knows what the two sides will even be talking about. And now the prospect of talks, however slim their chances for a sincere settlement, are hanging in the balance. There is a real possibility that continued violence could scupper the discussions. What now? It is also still unclear how exactly this clash will play out for both sides. Tamil residents of Jaffna wait to board buses to escape fighting Fighting in the north has led many civilians to flee their homes The heavy casualties the forces have suffered could prove an opening for the softer elements within the government to have their voice heard, a move away from the military solution. However it could also mean the government is now unwilling to come to the table from a position of perceived weakness. The hardliners may push for a victory to ensure their bargaining strength in Geneva is not weakened. On the Tiger side, the fact they held their lines, and inflicted such losses on the government, may result in a reluctance for immediate talks. They may want to regain the territory they lost. On the other hand they may feel that already they have already regained the upper hand. It is still too early to say what the longer term impact of this clash will be, but the continuing violence does not auger well for any prospective talks. -The BBC

10-13-2006, 01:28 AM	#10 (permalink)
veera8 Patron Join Date: 05-31-06 Posts: 226 Country:	starseige, tell me something from where is LTTE is getting all the needed money to set up a parallel gov with all ammunitions?? are they into arms and drug smulggling ???? i remember a article which mentions that abraod SL tamils are forced or even threatened to pay donations to LTTE . is that true???

10-13-2006, 04:53 AM	#13 (permalink)
667medic *Military Professional* Join Date: 07-22-05 Posts: 1,495 Country:	I am wondering why the boots of the fallen soldiers haven't been salvaged. Most of them seem to be in good condition. This might sound gross but then I have seen many pics of LTTE fighters either without footware or wearing sandals.....

10-13-2006, 05:07 AM	#14 (permalink)
starsiege Banished Join Date: 07-05-06 Posts: 521	i think they dont salvage anything from the dress of a killed soldier. its akin to dishonoring the dead or seomthing..according to them. but their weapons and ammo are for the taking! did u see the stealth boat video? what do u think? iw asnt able to find the higer res video thou

10-13-2006, 06:59 AM	#15 (permalink)
667medic *Military Professional* Join Date: 07-22-05 Posts: 1,495 Country:	Hey I am only getting a link to a google image. I have seen some videos before but of very low resolution. The Tigers have some fantastic PR stuff. The problem is that must pay for the videos

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