The Sri Lanka Air Force struck a severe blow to the LTTE last morning. A swarm of jets that scattered into the skies headed towards an LTTE base situated North East of Vishvamadukulam. Their target was the LTTE leader Velupillai Pripaharan's most trustworthy unit, the "Ratha Regiment". The Tigers were not expecting the attack.
The base, appropriately titled by SLA Military Intelligence as 'Ratha Base' was home to this young regiment, which the Tiger Leader has grown to trust over Imran Pandian Regiment in recent months. Deployed almost entirely on Anti-Aircraft duties, the Ratha Regiment was added to the LTTE less than 4 years ago. The Unit usually moves around with Pripaharan with the hopes of acting as a deterrence against SLAF jet bombers.
Military Intelligence sources believe the base was housing a significantly large number of cadres and assets, including powerful AA Batteries and Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) at the time of the attack. Exact damages caused to the Tigers is yet unclear.
Meanwhile troops from the 57 Division lying in ambush in Vilattikulam in the general area east of Madhu on Wednesday engaged an LTTE troop movement in three coordinated ambushes. As two ambush teams cut the tigers down, the remaining cadres retreated straight into the third ambush team.
After all the fighting was done and the Tigers had retreated with their dead cadres only did the SLA realize the devastation they had caused. To their amazement, the Tigers admitted over the radio that it had lost 3 'Lieutenant Colonels' from its elite Charles Anthony Regiment in this single attack. The rank of 'Lt. Col.' is the second highest rank in the LTTE.
The base, appropriately titled by SLA Military Intelligence as 'Ratha Base' was home to this young regiment, which the Tiger Leader has grown to trust over Imran Pandian Regiment in recent months. Deployed almost entirely on Anti-Aircraft duties, the Ratha Regiment was added to the LTTE less than 4 years ago. The Unit usually moves around with Pripaharan with the hopes of acting as a deterrence against SLAF jet bombers.
Military Intelligence sources believe the base was housing a significantly large number of cadres and assets, including powerful AA Batteries and Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) at the time of the attack. Exact damages caused to the Tigers is yet unclear.
Meanwhile troops from the 57 Division lying in ambush in Vilattikulam in the general area east of Madhu on Wednesday engaged an LTTE troop movement in three coordinated ambushes. As two ambush teams cut the tigers down, the remaining cadres retreated straight into the third ambush team.
After all the fighting was done and the Tigers had retreated with their dead cadres only did the SLA realize the devastation they had caused. To their amazement, the Tigers admitted over the radio that it had lost 3 'Lieutenant Colonels' from its elite Charles Anthony Regiment in this single attack. The rank of 'Lt. Col.' is the second highest rank in the LTTE.
