Date:02/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/02/stories/2008030256500800.htm

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Sri Lankan Army Chief coming tomorrow

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Army Chief, Sarath Fonseka, is visiting India from Monday for exchange of views with his interlocutors in New Delhi on matters of mutual interest between the two countries amid claims by the Sri Lanka military that dozens of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadres had been killed in continued fighting along the Forward Defence Lines in the north over the week-end.

According to officials here, during Gen. Fonseka’s four-day visit, a frank exchange of views on the current security situation in the island nation could be expected.

Battles with LTTE

The Sri Lankan Army is at the moment engaged in intense battles against the LTTE in the north and is confident of weakening the Tigers if it continued to have a free hand. However, the Government of Sri Lanka expects help from the international community in containing the Tigers.

A report by the Defence Ministry here claimed that the troops had moved towards LTTE territory “inflicting damage to the enemy in the military operation launched to liberate Wanni region from terrorists’ hold.” It said that over 45 cadres of the LTTE were killed and 14 others injured during these clashes. The Ministry said that 14 Army personnel also received injuries in the clashes.