MULLAITTIVU: REACHING one more decisive phase of the ongoing humanitarian battle, meant to salvage people from the grips of LTTE terrorism, valiant soldiers of the 7 Sinha Regiment in 57 Division under the able command of Major General JAGATH DIAS, General Officer Commanding, 57 Division, brought more than three-fourth of the LTTE’s nerve center, MALLAVI, about 3.5 km to the east of TUNUKKAI under their control Monday (01) evening, Army Headquarters officially announced.

Ending days of speculation, domination of the well-known MALLAVI town, said to be the native place of PRABHAKARAN’s wife, MADIVADINI, marked one more decisive and impressive phase of the “war for peace” in Wanni which has about 1 km long main street with boutiques and shops on both sides of the town center. A few more adjoining vulnerable areas are yet to be cleared, the Army said.

Troops following their entry into the center of the town as dusk fell where Tigers had their “Eelam” flag before their capture, raised the National Flag to the thundering applause of the brave soldiers, belonging to 7 Sinha Regiment, 3 Gajaba Regiment and 9 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment who fearlessly took part in the offensive under 573 Brigade.

Astonishingly, Tiger terrorists had built a bunker line with filled sandbags along the main corridor of the well-equipped MALLAVI Base Hospital complex, of which more than three spacious rooms had been used by Tiger terrorists as their administrative centers. The hospital walls were found plastered with portraits of megalomaniac, PRABHAKARAN and late THAMIL CHELVAM. The hospital complex with more than thirteen big buildings, including marble-tiled wards was largely sans hospital beds, since most of them have been taken away by Tigers for metal work or production of explosives before troops rolled in.

MALLAVI town center, which has functioned as a big commercial hub on the MULLAITTIVU district border, has remained a fully-fledged township with two Rural Banks, Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, Ceramic Factory, large Bakery with three huge ovens, Water and Electricity Board buildings, Sub Post Office and more than forty big business centers. A Tiger administrative office plus its ‘Eelam’ monument was also found in the centre of the MALLAVI town.

Interconnecting MALLAVI-NACHCHIKUDA road, MALLAVI-MANKULAM road, to the west of A-9 Highway and a few more link roads run across this central town which was also was a venue for NORWAY-brokered peace talk coordination work for LTTE organization before and after the now defunct Ceasefire Agreement was signed a few years ago.

Hundreds of troops after dominating the heart of MALLAVI town are still busy hunting for remaining Tigers and capturing adjoining boundary areas as this report was filed before security for the entire MALLAVI region is ensured, enabling the troops to carry on with subsequent search and clear operations and de-mining work.