Bunker babies: Latest Tiger ruse

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The LTTE has resorted to new tactics to tarnish the Security Forces' image by allowing their female cadres to take their children to bunker lines on the Forward defences, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said yesterday.

The Brigadier added that the LTTE's latest tactic was evident from the recoveries made by the Security Forces after capturing LTTE bunkers in the Uyilankulam cross loading point in Mannar yesterday.

"A number of baby items recovered from these bunkers clearly indicate that the LTTE has allowed their female cadres to take their children with them when they are engaged in manning their bunkers," the Brigadier added.

The Brigadier said the LTTE has changed its earlier policy by allowing their cadres to get married and have now allowed to take their children with them to guard bunkers. "The LTTE's intention is to tarnish the Security Forces' image by taking the message to the international community that children get killed when troops launch attacks on Tiger bunkers," he added.

The Brigadier said ground troops confirmed that three bodies of female cadres recovered from the Mannar area were of female cadres aged 16 to 17. "There are indications that on a daily basis civilians in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu witness funerals as a large number of cadres get killed by the Security Forces," he added.

Many civilians flee uncleared areas seeking protection in the cleared areas even after paying off their lifelong wealth for those facilitating their safe passage, he said.

"A 10 member family arrived in Mannar from Vedithalthivu after paying Rs. 150,000. The life long savings they had were paid to a boatman seeking a better life in cleared areas," the Brigadier added. According to statistics, 133 Tiger cadres have been killed during the past one week during confrontations with troops in the Wanni front and in Jaffna.

"Seven Security Forces personnel were also killed and 45 injured during this period," he added.

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Beware of magnet bombs

COLOMBO: Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara appealed to the public to be vigilant when leaving vehicles parked unattended as intelligence reports warn that the LTTE may resort to their latest tactics of fixing magnet bombs on these vehicles.

"Search your vehicles before getting into the vehicle when parked at isolated places and unattended by anybody", Brigadier Nanayakkara added.

He said intelligence reports indicate that the LTTE may resort to tactics of fixing magnet bombs to vehicles as they have failed in their attempts at exploding bombs to create mayhem in Colombo.

(RW)