The LTTE on Monday said that 1742 cadres including 253 suicide cadres were killed in attacks so far this year.

They were among 16,333 LTTE cadres killed in action since 1982, the LTTE said in a special statement issued to mark their "National Heroes Day" on Monday.

The LTTE had suffered their heaviest losses in 1997. They lost 2101 cadres in 1997. Since the first LTTE cadre identified as Shanker was killed in 1982 16,599 male and female cadres had been killed. Apart from them 266 cadres belonging to the Balakumar faction of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS) and ten others belonging to other individual organisations, had been killed the LTTE said. They had been killed during their deployment with the LTTE. In 1999 the LTTE had lost 1543 cadres, and in 2000 upto November 20th the LTTE had lost 1742 cadres. Of the 1742 in 2000 60 were male Black Tigers, 18 female Black Tigers, 98 male Blacks Sea Tigers, 37 female Black Sea Tigers all together Black Tigers losing 158 male cadres and 55 female cadres. In all 213 Black Tiger cadres had been the martyred, the release states.

In 2000 a total number of 191 male "border’ troops and 4 female ‘border’ troops had been martyred.
— (FRS)