Lankan troops seize Black Tiger base

Colombo: Sri Lankan troops fighting their way into Tamil Tiger -held areas in the island's north have captured a "Black Tiger" camp complex along with a large haul of heavy weapons left behind by the fleeing guerrillas, military said Sunday. The Black Tigers were responsible for the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The military said that 58 Division troops have captured the Black Tiger camp complex consisting of administration and logistics compartments at Vishwamadhu area Saturday. Black Tigers were also known as suicide Tigers.
It said nine mortar launchers of five different calibers of 120 mm, 81 mm, 82 mm, 80 mm and 60 mm, six multi-purpose machine-guns (MPMG), two thermo baric launchers, 20 pistols and three rocket propelled guns (RPG) were among the weapons recovered.
"A large stock of new LTTE uniforms and twelve dead bodies (of the guerrillas) were also found inside the camp complex," the military said.
The troops have recovered a two-storeyed underground bunker with luxurious facilities in the Vishwamadhu area on the same day.
Comfortable rooms, attached lavatories, three soundproof power generators, macadam access paths and two safes were found inside the underground building.
Sri Lanka's defence ministry in a report said Sunday that the LTTE has failed to allow free movement of civilians in conflict areas in the north of the island within the 48-hour deadline issued by the government. It accused the rebels of continuing to worsen the people's sufferings.
"LTTE terrorists continued worsening suffering of the thousands of civilians entrapped on the outskirts of Mullaitivu, ignoring the 48-hour ultimatum served for the safe passage of civilians," the defence ministry said.
Amid mounting international pressure on the safety of displaced civilians in the war-zone, President Mahinda Rajapaksa Thursday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the LTTE to allow free movement of civilians trapped in conflict areas.
The defence ministry said the government would "continue to adhere to the zero civilian casualty policy while engaging in its allout effort to eradicate the terrorists."There was no reaction in this regard from the rebel outfit, which has been fighting to carve out a separate state over the past quarter century.