The Army Task Force 1 (TF 1) is making a rapid progress in the Western Kilinochchi battlefront in terms of both ground gains and attrition caused to enemy, reveal the battlefield sources.

Troops completed mop up operations in the strategically located Devils Point area yesterday (Nov 13) and declared the area fully liberated. With this achievement prominent Sea Tiger strongholds at Kiranchi, Vallaipadu and Palavi fell to the Army. Troops having outflanked the terrorists in the Devil's Point, cramped them into the triangular shaped projection of the mainland to the sea during last few days.

Meanwhile, the main thrust of the TF 1 directed at the Pooneryn LTTE bastion has successfully negotiated the marshlands of Pooneryn and positioned itself just 500 m behind the Pooneryn- Paranathan road (B-69) at an undisclosed location.

According to the battlefield reports, heavy clashes have occurred on the south of Malapukualm in the Nallur area last evening. Troops following the clashes found 3 bodies of slain LTTE cadres, one T-56 riffle, 4 hand grenades, one radio communication set and 2 pouches.

In the South Nivil area troops battled the terrorist during the daytime and found one T-56 riffle , one radio communication set and one hand grenade. Troops claimed heavy damages to the terrorists during the clashes. Also, a similar confrontation was reported from the Putuaddamoddai area around 6.10 PM.

In the Chempankundu area troops found a T-56 riffle, a radio communication set, and a hand grenade following a confrontation occurred in the morning hours.

The TF 1 was raised early this year to liberated the northwestern coast of the Island that runs from Mannar to Pooneryn. Accomplishment of this mission will deny the terrorist use of sea lines of communication across the Palk Strait and open a land route to the Jaffna Peninsula from the southern mainland. At present, the TF1 keeps its forward boundaries just 7 km behind Pooneryn.