Victorious troops engaged in Wanni liberation mission yesterday (July 31) crossed the district borders between Mannar and Kilinochchi districts at an undisclosed location on the Mannar- Vavuniya combined warfront. According to the defence sources, fall of Vellankulam, the next town come across after Iluppaikkadavai when traveling northwards on the Mannar- Pooneryn (A-32) road is imminent.

Finalized military reports received from the Wanni theatre of operations indicate 20 deaths and 29 casualties to the terrorists and report 4 others as either killed or wounded in yesterday's clashes occurred in the Mannar - Vavuniya and Welioya battlefronts. Also, 2 soldiers laid down their lives at the field while 2 suffered wounds.

Troops belonging to Task Force 1 (TF-1) continued their march, fighting terror defenses along the Left flank of the Mannar- Vavuniya combined front towards Iluppaikkadavai during the day. Troops established their control over 5 Square Kilometers area after beating off terrorists from Mundampiddi last evening. Troops found seven bodies of LTTE cadres along with 3 T-56 weapons and 2 hand grenades. According to the defence sources 2 out of 5 bodies were unrecoverable conditions while the rest would be handed over to the ICRC.

Meanwhile troops of 57 Division (57 Div) operating at the centre of the Mannar - Vavuniya front pushed their hold further Northwards into the strategically vital Tunukkai area. Troops attacked a group of terrorists located just south of Tunukkai town around 5.10 PM and reported that 4 terrorists had been killed and 8 others injured.

Tunukkai town lies halfway on the Mankulam - Vellenkulam road, one of the main supply routes between Wanni and north-western coast of the Island. Hence, the town has been used by the terrorists as their main administrative centre for the non liberated areas in the West of A-9 road.

Troops of Task Force 2 (TF-2) operating in the Right flank of the Mannar- Vavuniya combined front continued their assaults in the Palamoddai and Navvi area, pushiing their defence lines further towards A-9 road.

At Palamoddai, troops attacked a terror bunker around 12.15 PM and claimed 3 terrorists had been wounded.

In the Navvi area, troops had several clashes with the terrorists. Troops attacked 3 LTTE bunkers around 3.15 PM. Radio monitoring units confirmed that 3 terrorists had been killed and 11 wounded in this incident. Also, troops lost one soldier. In a separate confrontation occurred reported around 12.45 PM, troops over powered an attempted terror attack. Radio monitoring units confirmed that one terrorist had been wounded in this incident. In a similar confrontation reported elsewhere, a soldier was killed around 2 PM. Also, another soldier suffered injuries due to an explosion of Anti Personnel (AP) mine in a separate incident reported around 10.35 AM.

Meanwhile, the Welioya front remained most active with the pitched battles were going on right throughout the day in the Mullaittivu forest.

Troops had two main clashes with the terrorists in the North of Janakapura area during the day and claimed 4 terrorists had been killed and another wounded.

Similarly, in the area North of Kiriibbanwewa troops had several clashes with the terrorists. Troops claimed 2 terrorists had been killed, 5 others wounded and 4 more either killed or wounded during these clashes. Also, one soldier suffered injuries in an AP mine explosion in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, troops engaged in mine clearing operations in the area removed 81 AP mines 7 IEDs and 1 pressure mine.