Pro-LTTE elements predict imminent fall of elephant pass and Mullaittivu

(By: Walter Jayawardhana)

Pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) websites and their proxy politicians have openly expressed fears that they would lose Elephant Pass immediately and their main seaport Mullaittivu and other places of control eventually.

Shivaji Lingam, member of the 22 parliamentarians strong Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the proxy party of the LTTE, from Chennai said, "And even if the LTTE were to lose Mullaittivu also, then too they will continue their struggle."

The pro- Tamil website, Cyber News said, "The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have begun withdrawing from entrenched positions in the strategic Elephant Pass region. The narrow Isthmus that links the Jaffna peninsula to the Northern mainland known as Wanni by land is often described as the "gateway to Jaffna".

Preparations are also afoot to vacate tiger positions in other key places in Eastern Wanni like Mullaittivu, Oddusuddan ,Muhamalai, Kilaly and Vatraappalai.

Apparently soldiers are now about 2 km to the south of Elephant Pass and are near Kurinchatheevu adjacent to Elephant Pass. Realising that Elephant Pass is not defendable the LTTE have begun vacating the area, the sources say.

Battlefield reports say that the Sri Lanka Army soldiers are about two kilometers South of Elephant Pass. According to LTTE sources realizing the Elephant Pass is no longer defensible the terrorists are slowly vacating the place. It is not clear whether they would put up some resistance or simply vacate the area, the sources said.

The terrorists escaping from Elephant Pass, Mullaittivu, Oddusudan and Vatraappalai are expected to hide in heavily entrenched fortified bunkers in the jungles of Mullaittivu poised for hit and run terrorist attacks both against the civilians and the government security forces.

Addressing the nation Army Commander Sarath Fonseka said after the fall of Kilinochchi, "We are confident that we can see the end of them withing this year. We don't need even a year to see their end." He said the area the LTTE leadership and cadres are hiding is like the terrain of Thoppigala in the Eastern Province, which the security forces overran.

Analysts have said there is an estimated number of 1700 to 1900 LTTE cadres remaining alive to do whatever kind of warfare they adopt.

Even if they adopt hit and run attacks on the civilians and security personnel in the future it would be nothing very much different from what they practiced together with conventional warfare. The United national Party has accused the government of pushing them to what they call guerilla warfare. But other sources say the government did not push them to anything but to their eventual demise.