In the Wanni theatre of battle, troops attacked terrorists' positions both on the Vavuniya and Mannar fronts killing at least 25 LTTE cadres. Also two soldiers were killed and four sustained injuries in the same clashes.

At Navatkulama on the Vavuniya front, troops engaged machine gunfire at terrorists' observation post around 4.15 last evening. Ground troops have confirmed that one terrorist was killed in the incident.

At Pokkaravani on the same front, troops engaged mortar and artillery fire at terrorists' bunkers around 4.30.p.m. Ground sources have confirmed that at least four terrorists were killed in the incident. Meanwhile, one soldier was killed as the terrorists responded with artillery fire.

Separately, at Umayaratuvarankulam, four more terrorists were killed when troops attacked an LTTE bunker around 4.10.p.m. Troops suffered no own casualties in this incident.

Besides, troops conducting clearing operations in the Vilathikulama and Palamoddai areas uncovered 66 anti personnel mines, 2 claymore mines and 3 anti tank mines within the course of the day.

On the Mannar front, heavy clashes erupted between army and LTTE as the terrorists fired mortars at troops deployed in the Parapakandal area around 1.p.m. yesterday (December 30). One army officer was killed and four others sustained injuries in incident. Troops responding to the attack moved ahead of their defences and attacked a group of LTTE cadres killing at least five terrorists around 6.30.pm. Elsewhere, in the Parapakandal area, troops pulled down an LTTE bunker around 7 in the same evening. Ground troops have claimed that at least 10 terrorists were killed in the incident.

Finally in the Jaffna defence, ground troops deployed in the Kilaly forward defence line shot down an LTTE terrorists detected ahead of the defence around 12.40, last afternoon.

Limited operations are continuing.

Courtesy - Sri Lanka Defence