The army early yesterday thwarted a desperate LTTE attempt to target troops with an explosive laden lorry by firing on it as it sped towards them from inside the ‘No Fire’ zone south of Valayanmadam.

The LTTE attempt came hours after the government announced an end to heavy combat operations and minutes after the troops, continuing their rescue operation, captured a 700-foot-long earth bund built by the Tigers across Rektavaikkal in the NFZ to protect the tiny strip of land where the LTTE leadership and its remaining cadres are holed up. Troops found the bodies of seven Tigers, a multi purpose machine gun (MPMG), three I-com sets, ammunition and other LTTE items, the military said.

Minutes after the capture, the LTTE in desperation sent a C-4 explosives laden lorry packed with explosives speeding towards the troops. However, troops on seeing the speeding bomb fired on the vehicle causing it to explode short of its target. Several soldiers sustained injuries in the blast and the lorry was reduced to ashes, the Military said.