By Amantha Perera

There has been heightened surveillance and security  at naval bases in the north east since the beginning of December due to reports that the Sea Tigers were planning to mount an attack.

It was in this backdrop that the navy detected a cluster of unidentified craft off the seas southwest of Jaffna around 7.30 a.m. on December 26. The cluster made up of between 14 to 16 boats was heading towards Sri Lankan shores from the seas south of the Delft Island. The direction of the boats indicated that they were heading towards the north western coast under the Tigers just above Mannar island.

For four hours the navy tracked the movements and it was around 11.30 when the flotilla was confronted by naval craft south of Delft at a location between Mannar island and Delft.

Sea battle

At least six Dvora Fast Attack Craft were in the group that confronted the Tigers. The Tiger boats included at least six suicide craft, and smaller craft fitted with high speed outboard engines with a crew of two. They were loaded with explosives that were set to go off on impact. Their role is to engage the naval craft while the bigger boats can get away from the firing line.

And soon after the naval craft opened fire, it was the suicide boats that sped towards them. The battle raged on for over three hours.

"Clashes erupted and turned into a fierce sea battle when naval task units took the initiative to cut off the suspicious boat movement at 11.30 a.m. defence sources say. According to naval sources, LTTE elements were engaged in a clandestine sea movement smuggling warlike material towards the non-liberated Nachchikuda coast when detected by the naval patrol units," the Defence Ministry said.

"Naval fast attack craft responded effectively towards the LTTE cluster with heavy gunfire and evasive battle manoeuvres, forcing terrorist boats to flee further southwards. According to information received, SLAF MI-24 gunships also engaged aerial strikes at the fleeing LTTE boats," it added.

Killed in action

The Tigers said that Sea Tigers had rammed one Dvora and it was sunk with a crew of 14 while two others were damaged. They said four Black Sea Tigers - a.k.a suicide cadres were killed in the attack. They said that the first Dvora was damaged around 1.00 p.m. while another was hit around 1.50 p.m.

The military put the Tiger death toll at 40. The LTTE dismissed this claim stating only four Black Tigers were killed adding it was the navy that suffered heavy casualties with at least 11 killed. Initial reports said that it was an Israeli built Dvora that has been targeted and sunk. But a day after the attack, the Defence Ministry confirmed that the sunk craft was P-413  manufactured by Colombo Dockyard.

It had been under the command of Lieutenant Commander Lalith Ekanayake with a crew of 11. Ekanayake's body was later recovered while the 11 crew members have now been listed as Missing in Action. Unconfirmed reports said that two crew members had been rescued from the disabled Dvora.

P-413 had been at the head of the navy boats that took on the Tigers and had destroyed two suicide craft. The Defence Ministry said that the suicide craft had not been able to ram the vessel as some initial reports indicated, but it had suffered engine failure when the two exploded in close vicinity. It has sunk while being toed to the Kankesanthurai harbour.

"According to the final reports of the battle, P-413 had engaged the enemy from the front and destroyed several LTTE attack craft during the battle. Meanwhile, two suicide boats had sped towards P-413 making the crew engage with both suicide boats simultaneously. The reports said that none of the suicide boats could reach the craft as P-413 crew had destroyed them successfully. However, the two explosions had made the craft lose its engine power, compelling the crew to confront the outnumbered enemy but with no ability to make evasive manoeuvres. The crew had successfully defended the craft till assistance arrived during the battle," the Defence Ministry said.

Engaged in smuggling

The remaining Tiger craft had proceeded towards Nachchikuda/Vinddalathivu coast north of Mannar where the Tigers maintain supply bases. The military said that the flotilla was suspected to have been engaged in smuggling from the south Indian coast.

While the sea battle dominated the headlines, the Christmas week was no different to others in the recent past. Bloody confrontations were reported right along the northern FDLs and if numbers cited by both sides are correct over 60 would have died. While most dead are listed as Missing in Action, the number of injured combatants to various hospitals give an indication on how bloody the battles are becoming whatever the official propaganda dishes out.

Further clashes

Heavy clashes were reported around the Adampan area from December 27 morning, with the Defence Ministry reporting that government troops had advanced to Narikulam area just south of Adampan.

The military has been pressing ahead with its march into Tiger areas from the line of control at Admapan. A week back the Defence Ministry reported that troops had secured the Tiger checkpoint at the former Uliyankulam crossover point on December 22. The crossover point has been closed since early September.

Two days later, on December 24, troops said they had overrun a Tiger supply base code named 'Vietnam' north of the Vavuniya FDL at Periyapunchikulam. No Tigers had been present when troops moved in to the base.

Between 18 to 20 bunkers covered on the top were located at the base that stretched almost half a kilometre. A tunnel was also located stretching 150 m out of the base.

Fighting was also reported along the Muhamalai Nagarkovil line south of Jaffna and the newest front that has opened up, in areas north east of Weli Oya.

The Tigers said that attempts by government troops to move into their areas from the FDL in Mannar and in Weli Oya were thwarted by cadres on December 29 morning.

Fighting/retreating

The Tigers said that troops had tried to break through from the Adampan area around 7.30 on December 26 morning but had been beaten back. They also said a deep penetration unit was also made to retreat in the Weli Oya area, near a location known as Ceylon Theatres Farm around 12 noon on the same day.

On the same day clashes had been reported from the Muhamalai area. The Tigers said that at least five soldiers were killed and 11 injured in the attacks. Later they said they had recovered the bodies of two slain soldiers in the Muhamalai area.

Heavy artillery was traded by both sides along the front lines in Jaffna and north of Vavuniya as well. Residents in Jaffna said that heavy fire could be heard right through the few days before Christmas and after.

The Tigers have positioned long range heavy guns at Pooneryn, south of Jaffna. Some suspect that guns are sometimes brought to Kalmunai point, at the northern edge of the  Pooneryn sector where their range easily encompasses Jaffna town and the Palaly base.

Along the southern FDL, the guns are placed three to five kilometres from the FDL and the fire has been mainly emanating from the Veddalathivu, Pallamoddai areas.

The Tigers are believed to have placed elite fighting formations behind the main front lines to face an army onslaught.

Two claymore attacks were also reported from Vavuniya and Kalawanchikuddi in Batticaloa killing four including two children.