An LTTE official, Major Kapilan, was killed and at least one
cadre was wounded when Sri Lankan Intelligence operatives and
paramilitary cadres ambushed a LTTE tractor in LTTE held area in
Vadamunai near Welikande in Batticaloa-Polannaruwa border,
Thursday around 9 a.m., LTTE sources in Batticaloa said.
Sri Lanka Army's 23-1 Brigade camp in Welikande backed up the
withdrawing ambush group with 5" mortar fire from their base,
the sources added. Meanwhile, S.Puleedevan, the Director of
LTTE's Peace Secretaraiat, speaking from Kilinochchi, condemned
the attack on their cadres in the east and accused Colombo for
playing "double game, betraying its pledge to cease the violent
campaign."
"Despite the gesture of goodwill already expressed by the
LTTE, with the release of a policeman in our custody, the attack
on our cadres in the East continues with mortar fire from the
SLA base," Puleedevan said questioning Colombo's commitment to
the Norwegian facilitators.
The attack on LTTE cadres within 24 hours
of the much publicized agreement between the LTTE and the
Government of Sri Lanka, facilitated by Norwegian Minister
Eric Solheim, to hold talks in Geneva does not bode well for
building of trust between the parties before talks, he added.
The ambush group had used Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) to
attack the LTTE tractor, LTTE officials in Batticaloa told
TamilNet.
Vadamunai is located 6.6 km southeast of Welikande.
