SUMMARY

An increase of military operations in the northern region (NR) was registered last week, with clashes being reported along the Forward Defense Line (FDL) south of Vanni. Both the Security Forces (SF) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) reported casualties. The main areas of operation were Mannar and Omantai, and the Exit/Entry (E/E) point at Omantai was closed for one day due to shelling.

 

The trend on abductions and assassinations continued in the eastern region (ER), and the SLMM registered six killings and eight abductions, including police reports and complaints raised directly with the SLMM. The TMVP/Karuna group was the reported perpetrator in all of the abduction cases. Among the abductees was a child of 16.

 

The Uliyankulam E/E point was still closed and there were no plans to open it due to confrontations in the area. The Omantai E/E point was closed on 18 October, since the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was not able to operate due to security reasons. It opened again the following day. The Muhamalai E/E point remained closed.

 

Confrontations along the FDL are now mainly concentrated around three main areas: Omantai, Muhamalai and Uliyankulam. In addition, on October 22, the single largest suicide attack conducted by the LTTE took place against the Anuradhapura airbase almost 60kms from the FDL. The attack was a combined air and ground assault by a suicide commando of 21 Black Tigers and two LTTE airplanes.

 

 

NORTHERN REGION

 

Military Operations:

Shelling was heard from the west of Vavuniya, the area of Omantai and north and northwest of Kilinochchi, including Jaffna, throughout the period. In addition, confrontations between the SF and the LTTE took place on a regular basis at Giant’s Tank close to Mannar.

 

On 15 October two police officers were shot dead in Thodavelle, Mannar district. Additionally, two policemen were shot and seriously wounded in Pandarikulam, Vavuniya district. In the wake of the incident, the SF stepped up security in Vavuniya, checking all cars and motorcycles in the city. Both incidents were reportedly carried out by the LTTE.

 

On 15 October seven LTTE cadres and one SLA soldier were killed in a confrontation in Mulikkulam, Vavuniya district, while other clashes were reported in the north of Mannar district and in Muhamalai, located at the northern FDL between Vanni and Jaffna district.

 

Also on 15 October two SLA soldiers were shot and injured, one seriously in Ullikkulam, Veerapuram.

 

Five people, including three children, were injured in an air strike carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on 16 October 1km from Neasan Kudyiruppu settlement and 3kms from an LTTE   check point in Mullaitivu district. The following day another air strike was registered in Mullaitivu district, and on the 19th a further air strike was registered in Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu district.

 

On 16 October confrontations and shelling between the SF and the LTTE were reported in Muhamalai and Kilali, Jaffna district, and shelling was registered from the Puliyankulam area, north of Omantai.

 

On 17 October an SLA solider was killed in Valikamam South-West, Jaffna district, reportedly by the LTTE.

 

On 17 October one SLA soldiers was injured during a clash with the LTTE in Kallikulam north of Madhu, Vavuniya district. Another SF troop was injured during clashes between the SF and the LTTE in Navatkulam and Karampikulam, Vavuniya district.

 

On 18 October six SLA soldiers were injured after a confrontation between the SLA and the LTTE in Periyatampanai, south of Madhu church.

 

On 18 October clashes between the SF and the LTTE were reported in Muhamalai, Vilathikulam, Kurisuddakulam and Kallikulam.

 

On 19 October an LTTE cadre was killed when trying to throw a hand grenade on an SLA sentry in the city of Jaffna.

 

The electric transformers in Cheddikulam were reportedly destroyed with small arms, and parts of the village were left without electricity. The LTTE PS said the LTTE was not involved. During the week the electric transformers were covered in order to protect them from further sabotage.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

On 17 October a village officer (57) was assassinated in Vavuniya, while another man (52) was killed on Island South, Jaffna district, the same day. On 21 October a man (74) was killed in Thenmaradchi, Jaffna district.

 

The SLMM received reports from the police on two killings occurring previous to the period of reporting in Jaffna.

 

The SLMM received three complaints in the NR during the week. On 17 October a bus driver (man, 32) was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) in Kandy and sent to Colombo. The complainant said the victim had no political affiliations.

 

Two complaints were related to the abductions of a man (58) in south-west Valikamam and a man (24) who was missing in Chavakachcheri, both in Jaffna district.

 

The SLMM received three complaints on incidents occurring previous to the period of reporting, including one case of extortion, an attempted assassination and a person missing.

 

On 19 October two women were injured while protecting a man from unknown gunmen in Vadamaradchi South-West (Karaveddy), in the Jaffna district.

 

Six men (21, 28, 28, 30, 36, 45) asked to be taken into protective custody by the police in Jaffna during the week.

 

Since the sea clash in the Jaffna lagoon on 13 October, the mobile phone network has been turned off frequently in Jaffna.

 

 

EASTERN REGION

 

Military Operations:

On 15 October the LTTE carried out a military operation close to Thalgasmankada Army detachment, south of Panama in the south of Ampara district. Seven SLA soldiers were killed. The following day a pressure mine planted by the LTTE exploded in the same area, killing one SLA officer and injuring five.

 

On 16 October a policeman was shot and injured while on duty at a check point in Satharakondan, 6kms north of Batticaloa. The perpetrators were two unknown men on a motorcycle.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

On 16 October two men were shot dead in Narayanapuram village, Mutur, and the following day a man was killed by unknown perpetrators in Kilivetti, 80kms southeast of Trincomalee. On 19 October a man was shot dead by unknown perpetrators in his home in Vantharumulai, 20kms north of Batticaloa, while two men (20, 24) were shot and killed in Sammanthurai, 18kms north of Ampara on 20 October.

 

On 15 October a man (18) was abducted from his home by a group of armed people in Vantharumulai, 20kms north of Batticaloa, while another man was abducted from his house in Akkaraipattu, west of Ampara, the same day. On 18 October a woman (24) was abducted in Kiran, 25kms north of Batticaloa, reportedly by two members of the TMVP/Karuna group. The perpetrators had also threatened to kill the woman’s family. On 21 October a man (18) was abducted from his house in Savukkady, 15kms north of Batticaloa.

 

The SLMM received two complaints on abductions carried out by the TMVP/Karuna group, one including children, in Batticaloa and Ampara, respectively.

 

Furthermore, the SLMM received a complaint on 19 October on a man being detained when approaching the TMVP/Karuna group office in Ampara to enquire about his son-in-law. They were both being held in the office and would not be released before the family’s son (16), who had escaped from the TMVP/Karuna group, returned.

 

On 19 October up to eight people were apprehended in a temple in Barathipuram, 13kms south of Trincomalee, during a religious festival and beaten by the SLA. The victims were taken to an SLA camp belonging to the 222 Brigade in Kantale. The SLA was not available for comments. The detainees were released the next morning.

 

The SLMM received five complaints occurring previous to the period of reporting, including one abduction, one case of harassment, one involving threats, one case of physical abuse and one arrest made by the TID in Trincomalee.

 

The SLMM received two police reports on incidents occurring previous to the period of reporting, including one killing and one arrest of a person in possession of a Claymore bomb.