Lankan troops close in on LTTE remnants including Prabhakaran

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Northern Battle Front (English Version) 1 st May 2009

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Battle progress

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Closing in from three sides on the cornered LTTE, including its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, in their shrinking territory in the northern part of island, Sri Lankan forces on Thursday pushed back the rebels further killing 41 of them in fierce fighting.

The army, which outnumbers and outguns the rebels, is now virtually close to encircling Vellamullivaikkal, close to the coast where Prabhakaran and his top aides are believed to be hiding, as President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday declared that terrorism cannot be given a second chance.

"We have no plans to go for a ceasefire with the Tigers," Rajapaksa said and warned the rebels that they must give up or be killed.

His brother Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the British and French foreign ministers that Sri Lanka will keep up its military offensive until the leaders of the LTTE, mainly its chief Prabhakaran is captured "dead or alive".

Speaking at a public function at Ambilipitiya in Western Sri Lanka, the President called on the LTTE that they should release all civilians being held as hostage and surrender.

He said the decision to stop using heavy weapons and combat aircrafts on battlefront was not due to international pressure, but because the government itself was concerned about ensuring safety of civilians in LTTE-controlled areas.

With the LTTE fast losing their territory, Mr. Rajapaksa told them they had little time left to drop their weapons and surrender as the military operation was at its final stage.

But as the army made deeper inroads into the LTTE-held areas, the rebels, according to army sources, are putting up a very stiff resistance.

The pro-LTTE TamilNet website today quoted the top rebels leaders that the Tamil Tigers will never surrender to the advancing Sri Lankan forces and appealed to the international countries to work for a ceasefire.

During the past 48 hours security forces advanced further South of Rektavaikkal, shrinking the remaining swathe of the LTTE-controlled land to a mere 7 sq km. where the rebels are expected to face their end game, military sources said.

The troops advanced south and the personnel of 53rd Division are moving in from west of Vellamullivaikkal, spear-heading the rescue operations, the defence ministry said.

Citing latest reports from the Mullaittivu front, the sources said that at least 15 LTTE rebels were killed and another 20 injured during confrontations between troops and LTTE in general area Karayamullivaikkal on Wednesday.

The LTTE casualties are expected to rise as infantrymen made decisive ground maneuvers deeper into enemy territory despite heavy mine fields.- The Hindu

All the glory of the once hot headed LTTE is now missing. The burning question at this time is why Pirahakaran and his fellow terrorists are not releasing Tamil civilians from their grasp.

Reading stories published in Tamilnet etc are becoming more and more humorous by the day. Their knack at distorting facts is being exposed. Doctoring of photographs have come to light. The saying "Supporters of Terrorists are also Terrorists"  should be kept in mind when negotiating the pages of Tamilnet etc.

We see headline news about how the British and French Foreign Ministers tried to secure a ceasefire from GOSL. But still, we don't even see a footnote about these people trying to get Pirahakaran to release the civilians who are terrorized and controlled by him.  What's up with that?

Some talk big about the Unilateral Ceasefire which the Tamil Terrorits observed a few days ago. Perhaps, this announcement will be remembered as the Joke of the Year.

For the LTTE, the end is near.