TELOnews.com

Task Force 8 finally reached the Puthukudirippu junction yesterday. Fighting still continues in the major part of the town as the density of LTTE fighters has increased due to loss of terrain.

Advance of FIBUA units is conducted at dawn or dusk as Tigers occupying civilian houses and public buildings direct heavy volumes of 12.7mm and mounted 23mm and 30mm canon fire at the advancing units. Often taking cover inside buildings is hazardous due to trappings.

Many of the infamous LTTE leaders have all been relegated now. The man leading the battle against the Army is Rathnam Master, the LTTE’s head of Military Intelligence. Rathnam Master was a personal bodyguard of Prabha and perhaps his closest and most capable commander right now. With orders to shoot any deserters, Rathnam Master’s ruthlesness seems to be keeping the other Tiger leaders in line.

The former head of LTTE Military Intelligence, Charles was killed by Major Lalith Jayasinghe, 3 Special Forces Special Reconnaissance/LRRP. Poddu Amman and Kapil Amman are the respective heads of the LTTE’s Secret Intelligence.

Unlike Secret Intelligence units, Military Intelligence teams of the LTTE have always been distinguished by a strike capability. This means that not only do they collect intelligence but act on that intelligence as one unit.

Many of the successful LTTE attacks in government controlled areas were coordinated by this unit. The only compatible unit in the Army to LTTE Military Intelligence was the SP/LRRP teams who operated with Army Intelligence units (MIC).

Rathnam Master wasn’t identified for years due to the secretive nature of his operational engagements. Poddu Amman’s image was released by the media and Kapil Amman, a baldheaded middleaged man was identified some time ago as well. But a photo of Rathnam Master wasn’t found until two weeks ago when an album abandoned by the Tigers gave away his identity.

Rathnam Master was the man behind the Anuradhapura airbase and Vavuniya SFHQ attacks. The Army has been studying him for years, particularly since he was appointed the head of Ratha Regiment, Prabha’s own protection unit and special operations group.

Defencewire

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