Three Navy men killed in LTTE ambush

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, AUG. 16. Three Navy personnel and four cadres of the LTTE were killed, when the militants ambushed a Navy foot patrol early this morning in the Trincomalee district in eastern Sri Lanka. The Defence Ministry said besides those killed, two in the patrol party were wounded. Bodies of the four LTTE cadres were later recovered.

Meanwhile, in the north, the LTTE has warned residents of Jaffna against ``cooperating'' with the Sri Lankan Government or Army and said ``inevitable reprisal'' awaited ``traitors'' when they recaptured the peninsula from the Army.

The warning was published in the peninsula's Tamil daily Uthayan in the form of a statement from the LTTE's political wing.

About 4,50,000 civilians live in Government/Army- administered Jaffna peninsula, with Tamil officials running the civilian administration.

It is not clear what prompted the sudden statement, though this is not the first time that such a warning has been put out in the last five years that the peninsula has been under the control of the Government.

The LTTE statement asked the people to lead ``responsible'' lives, declaring that the day was not far when they would recapture the peninsula. ``On that day, no traitor can escape inevitable reprisal,'' it warned.

It asked civilians to remain vigilant against the ``traitors'' and to help the ``freedom fighters'' so that ``liberation would be hastened''.

The LTTE seems apprehensive that the Government schemes in Jaffna might succeed in whittling down support for its cause, and the statement asked the people not to forget that the Tamil struggle was launched not for a ``few crumbs'' from the Government, but for freedom.

Inquiry panel set-up

PTI reports from Colombo:

Sri Lanka has named a two-member Inquiry Commission to probe the July 24 LTTE suicide attack on its main Air Force base and the adjoining Bandaranaike International Airport.

The Commission comprises retired Judge of the Court of Appeal, Mr. Justice D. Jayawickrema and Air-Vice Marshal P.H. Mendis. The probe officials have been given three months to submit their findings and recommendations.

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Section  : International
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