The Information Department on Friday reported the following incidents from the North and East:

JAFFNA PENINSULA

Intermittent firing of terrorists’ artillery has been reported from the general area of KODIKAMAM during the day of 15th March 2001. Four soldiers were wounded due to terrorists’ artillery fire. Highest number of artillery rounds were fired yesterday since the declaration of LTTE’s unilateral cease fire which commenced on 24th December 2000.

Another soldier received injuries due to an explosion of an anti-personnel mine whilst on a foot patrol in the general area of MUHAMALAI on the same day.

Engineering troops on clearing operations in the general areas of MADDUVIL South, COLOMBUTHURAI and CHIVIYATHURAI East recovered 78 anti-personnel mines, one trapped 81mm mortar bomb and 06 (six) 120 mm mortar bombs and destroyed the same on 15th March 2001.

Troops operating in THATCHANTHOPPU in THANANKILAPPU area recovered an abandoned one T-56 weapon without the magazine but with a cleaning rod in the afternoon of 15th March 2001.

WANNI

Snipers confirmed that a terrorist was killed in the general area North of OMANTHAI, in the evening of 14th March 2001.

More Terrorists Surrender

An LTTE male cadre Vaithyalingam Udayalingam (20 years) of PANICHCHAKULAM, MANKULAM, had surrendered to PIRAMANALANKULAM Cross loading point with a cyanide capsule in the evening of 14th March 2001. On information given by this person troops were able to recover a hand grenade.

15-year-old Muttaiah Gowrie, a female LTTE cadre of 204, Main Road, ANANDAPURAI, TRINCOMALEE surrendered to 221 Brigade TRINCOMALEE, in the afternoon of 15th March 2001. She was handed over to TRINCOMALLE Police for further investigations.

According to the surrendered LTTE cadres there are more desperate cadres ready to surrender. They are denied of surrendering by the LTTE senior cadres by threatening to kill them.

MANNAR

Approximately 25 Indian fishing trawlers were located within the territorial waters of Sri Lanka about 4 nautical miles away from TALAIMANNAR Pier by the Sri Lanka Navy sea patrol in the early morning of 15th March 2001.

AMPARA

STF personnel on a cordon and search operation have located a small group of terrorists and engaged them with small arms fire around 1.45 pm on 15th March 2001 in ILLUPPUKULAM in Ampara, and the terrorists fled the area. No casualties were reported to own troops. On a subsequent search STF personnel recovered one terrorist’s body, one hand grenade and a bicycle.