Troops on a search operation conducted in the general area of Muhamalai in the Jaffna peninsula on information given by a civilian on May 27 recovered a pot with about 20 kgs of explosives buried in the garden of an abandoned house, the Information Department said yesterday.

Troops on a fighting patrol had detected a group of terrorists and engaged them with small arms fire ahead of the forward defence line of the general area of Muhamalai on May 28. Ground troops confirmed killing of three terrorists with no casualties to own troops.

WELIOYA — Troops on an ambush in the general area of Kokkutuduvai have observed a tractor carrying terrorist cadres, moving towards Janakapura around 9.00 a.m. in the morning on May 28 and engaged them with machine gun and small arms fire. Troops confirmed that five terrorists were killed and a few more would have been injured. No casualties to own troops. Intercepted terrorist radio transmission also confirmed the killing of five of their cadres in the confrontation.

Ampara - Policemen on guard at Potuvil police station had observed a suspected movement around 3.20 a.m. on May 28 and engaged them with small arms fire. Terrorists also retaliated with small arms and machine gun fire and retreated. The fire fight went on for a few minutes with no casualties to Policemen. On a subsequent search the Police have recovered a dead body of a civilian Sivarathnam Shivalingam, who died in the cross fire, lying in a closeby house with two injured persons, the wife Kanakasabe Kirumalar and the daughter of the deceased, Shivalingam Thilkashani. The injured were admitted to Potuvil Hospital. Investigations are in progress.