OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT 

The tension in the North of Sri Lanka around the 22 February was very high, but did not translate into any major military operations. There has been a heavy military build up by both parties over the past few weeks. The shelling across both the Northern and the Southern Forward Defence Lines (FDL) was frequent.

 

Omanthai Entry and Exit (EE) point was hit by shells on 24 February, leading to its closure for some hours. Shelling along the FDL at Muhamalai was at times very heavy, and the SLAF carried out air strikes. The SLAF also launched several air strikes in Vanni earlier in the week, hitting targets close to Kilinochchi and near Puliyankulam. The LTTE shelled an SLA position in Paraiyanalankulam on the A-14 and A-30 junction on the Mannar-Vavuniya road earlier in the week.

 

The fighting in the East has subsided. There has, however been some shelling in Batticaloa. Even though on a lesser scale than earlier, the shelling still resulted in civilian injuries. GOSL forces led an operation against the LTTE in the jungle Northwest of Trincomalee, and have declared to have overrun four LTTE camps in the area. It is not known to what extent the GOSL now controls the area.

 

There were two claymore attacks inside LTTE controlled areas on 20 February. Except for a hand grenade thrown at a Police sentry point, there were no other incidents of that nature in Jaffna. A claymore attack in Ottamavadi in Batticaloa district killed two SLA soldiers, one police officer, and injured 16 civilians. In contrast with previous weeks, no claymore or hand grenades attacks were carried out against GOSL Security Forces in Vavuniya.

 

Assassinations and disappearances were reported from all districts. There were 11 killings in Vavuniya. On 19 February four civilians were found hacked to death; three in Vavuniya town, and one 15 km to the West on the Mannar road. Moreover, the fate of eight fishermen and one Singhalese civilian reported missing from Mannar is unknown.

 

Trincomalee district has witnessed an increase in assassinations and assassination attempts against civilians. No Security Forces personnel were targeted in the district. Four Tamil civilians were killed and three were injured. At least three persons were assassinated in Batticaloa. The number of abductions in Batticaloa increased and 19 cases were reported to the SLMM. Ten of the victims were young boys. Both the LTTE and the TMVP are suspected.

 

In an incident in Ampara, the offices of the Dutch humanitarian organization ZOA were visited by armed men who accused the staff of harbouring LTTE cadres, and subsequently harassed them and searched the premises.

 

 

OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES 

SLMM is currently fully staffed. Most SLMM international staff was based in Negombo. The national staff from the Vavuniya office was also temporarily relocated to Negombo due to security concerns. SLMM currently has one team in Trincomalee and one in Batticaloa, and is preparing to send a team to Vavuniya. The Liaison Officers normally based in Kilinochchi are currently in Negombo. Support functions are fully operational at HQ Colombo.