OPERATIONAL SUMMARY

The Eastern Region (ER) has witnessed a reduced number of assassinations and abductions this week. Continuous artillery and mortar fire has occurred from and towards the Thoppigala area.

 

As last week, constant shelling in the Northern Forward Defence Locality (FDL) has been reported. In addition sustained shelling from the Pompaimadu area north directed towards LTTE controlled areas has been reported.

 

The Northern Region (NR) has observed a deteriorating situation for civilians in the Cheddikulam area. The limited opening days of the Omanthai Entry / Exit point is furthermore affecting the communities in the northern areas and the issue has been raised with the SLMM on both sides of the FDL.

 

 

Eastern Region

 

Military Operations:

There is still tension in the Thoppigala area, as there has been daily shelling from west of Batticaloa towards Thoppigala and occasional shelling and mortar attacks from Thoppigala aiming at SLA camps west of Batticaloa. It has been stated by the Security Forces (SF) that up to thirty LTTE cadres lost their lives in the area during the week. According to the LTTE ten cadres were killed on Wednesday 20 June in the Thoppigala area. However, according SLMM sources, neither ten nor thirty bodies have been exchanged in Thoppigala.

 

The SF came under attack on five occasions this week; in Kalkudah, Kathankudy, Valaichchenai, Kaluwankerny and Mutur. According to the SF three LTTE cadres where killed in retaliation by the SF on Tuesday 19 June in Kalkudah, and an armed person was killed in Mutur on Monday 18. The SF claim that they did not suffer any casualties in the attacks.

 

According to the SF thirteen LTTE cadres have surrendered during the week.

 

On Friday 22 June SLN vessels fired at a boat in the Nilavelli Seas off Trincomalee. The boat exploded and according to the SF three dead LTTE cadres were recovered.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

Three civilians were shot dead and one injured by unidentified men this week.

 

The number of abductions has been significantly reduced since last week, when thirty four civilians where reported abducted in the ER. In Ampara the SLMM received a complaint regarding an abducted child. The police moreover received complaints regarding four abducted civilians. Three were released and the fourth was reportedly rescued by the SLA after a ransom was claimed. One alleged LTTE cadre was killed during the operation. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission SLMM Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission

There have been an increased amount of cordon and search operations by the SF in Trincomalee area this week, in which thirty people were reportedly arrested.

 

The process of resettling the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is still continuing in the Batticaloa area; the process has been extended to Kiran, Chenkalady and the Black Bridge areas during this week .

 

 

Northern Region

 

Military Operations:

Daily artillery fire of varying degree towards the Poonaryn area has been observed throughout the week. Furthermore, daily shelling of varying degree from the Pompaimadu northern area directed towards LTTE controlled area has been observed throughout the week.

 

A sea clash took place off Point Pedro on Tuesday 19 June. According to the LTTE the sea clash started as about 20 LTTE boats were fired upon by the SLN. The LTTE lost minimum one boat, and four cadres died. Meanwhile, official websites for the SLN stated that they were fired upon by the LTTE which waited in the Point Pedro area to attack them. The SLN claimed that 40 cadres were killed.

 

Three SLA soldiers were killed on Thursday 21 near Jaffna town when an explosive devise went off.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

One police officer was killed and two injured on Wednesday 20 June in Cheddikulam south of Vavuniya. The police officers were reportedly fired at by LTTE cadres. A male underage civilian died in the crossfire.

 

In Cheddikulam, two male civilians were abducted on Wednesday 20 June by unknown gunmen. On Thursday 21 another civilian male was abducted by unknown gunmen in the same area. Three bodies were later discovered in Cheddikulam area; they were identified as the civilians who were abducted on 21 June and 20 June.

 

A deterioration of the situation in the area of Cheddikulam has been observed by the SLMM. In villages located away from the A-14 in which IDPs are living, robberies, abductions, and general violence are being reported. Simultaneously, the police is unwilling to visit these villages and get involved with incidents occurring there, as the police and other government officials are threatened and harassed on arrival by armed individuals in civil clothes. The combination of harassments and the lack of proper protection has resulted in the civilian population experiencing increased insecurity.

 

The SLMM moreover made an assessment of the Omanthai Entry / Exit point and the area in its vicinity: The limited opening days of Omanthai is affecting the population north and south of it in numerous ways; necessities are not always available north of Omanthai and people who travel to visit family members north of Omanthai are reportedly being harassed when they return. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission SLMM Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission

 

There are no IDPs in the Madhu church at the moment. The IDPs had to leave due to the intensity of mortar and artillery fire in February and March, and has according to the LTTE and other SLMM sources moved to safer areas several km away from Madhu.

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE SUMMARY

The Head of Mission was in Norway during the week, for meetings with representatives from the contributing countries.

 

Five new SLMM personnel arrived. Three will be monitors in the NR team, and two will be based in the Support Centre.

 

The NR was operating from Vavuniya, while the ER was still operating from the Operation Centre. All six district offices as well as the Liaison Office in Kilinochchi are operational. The Operation Centre and the Support Centre are operational.