Lanka troops claim capture of part of strategic Elephant Pass
January 5th, 2009 - 9:31 pm ICT by ANI Colombo, Jan.5 (ANI): Sri Lankan troops on Monday claimed that they had captured a part of the highly strategic Elephant Pass, a causeway that links northern Jaffna to the mainland.
Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara was quoted as saying that the southern part of the causeway fell to government troops advancing northwards from Kilinochchi, the political headquarters of the Tamil Tigers, which was captured by the army on Friday.
Meanwhile, the LTTE said they have killed 53 soldiers in the north of the island where the army is trying to capture rebel strongholds.
“At least 53 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed, more than 80 sustained injuries and the Tamil Tigers recovered two bodies of the soldiers in heavy fighting,” the pro-Tamil website TamilNet reported.
Sri Lankan military officials denied the rebel casualty claims and said troops had recovered the bodies of 12 Tamil Tigers.
They also confirmed the capture of the strategic town of Oddusuddan at the weekend, which sits at an important crossroads to Mullaitivu. (ANI)
- Lankan troops enter southern end of Elephant Pass: official - Jan 05, 2009
- Lankan troops push further on after capturing LTTE headquarters - Jan 03, 2009
- Withdraw army from Sri Lanka's northeast, says TULF (Lead) - Jun 17, 2011
- 120 Tigers, 25 soldiers die in Sri Lanka - Dec 16, 2008
- Sri Lanka Army claims capture of more LTTE territory - Jan 08, 2009
- Sri Lankan troops enter strategic town near Mullaitivu: Military (Lead) - Jan 04, 2009
- Troops capture strategic LTTE bastion: Sri Lanka - Nov 17, 2008
- Withdraw army from Sri Lanka's northeast, says TULF - Jun 17, 2011
- Lankan troops retake villages close to Elephant Pass (Lead) - Jan 05, 2009
- Sri Lanka steps up air raid after fierce clashes - Dec 17, 2008
- Troops capture last LTTE landmass in Jaffna (Lead) - Jan 14, 2009
- Troops enter Mullaitivu, LTTE's last bastion (Second Lead) - Jan 25, 2009
- Sri Lankan troops capture LTTE airstrip in Mullaitivu - Jan 10, 2009
- Troops overrun key LTTE defences, capture Palai town - Jan 08, 2009
- Sri Lankan troops capture Elephant Pass (Lead) - Jan 09, 2009
Tags: army soldiers, casualty claims, causeway, crossroads, elephant, elephant pass, government troops, ltte, military officials, military spokesman, northern jaffna, sri lanka army, sri lankan troops, strongholds, tamil tigers, tamil website
