"Paranthan junction and its surrounding areas are now under the total control of the security forces", latest reports from the Wanni battlefront read.
The Paranthan LTTE barracks has been captured by the Task Force -1 troops today (Jan 01) early morning, following hours of bitter fighting ensued between troops and LTTE, military sources said. The drop of Paranthan marks the supremacy of safety forces at the township after a decade.
The battle for Paranthan began in the early hours on Tuesday (30) when the TF-1 armor, weaponry and infantry battalions commenced launching a intense physical attack on the garrison town while, Army forward power rudiments took on the well carrying weapons LTTE confrontation positions during surprise maneuvers made behind enemy lines.
Troops have also cutoff the vital access routes towards Paranthan along the A-9 road from North and South, allegedly killing over 50 terrorists, while injuring twice as a lot of information during the intense battles, armed source said.
The Paranthan LTTE barracks is deliberately located, about 4.5km North of Kilinochchi the length of the A-9 trunk route and on the southern sector of Elephant Pass, another LTTE foothold, according to ground troops.
Troops of the TF-1, commanded by Brigadier Shavendra Silva, entered the Paranthan built-up assisted with close combat air support of the SLAF jets and MI-24 helicopter gunships, Wednesday morning (Dec 31). LTTE resistances and counterattacks were outflanked by the strong military armour attacks and concentrated weaponry and mortar fire, earth troops said. The fighting was fierce and long-drawn-out for hours until terrorists were totally beaten by the determined soldiers, the sources added. LTTE fighting formations mostly from the Imran Pandiyan unit led by its 'Kilinochchi-in-charge', Velavan and Jerom had made successive attempt to gain lost ground only to be left with more injured and compensation, military sources said.
Unable to endure the anger of the joint Army and Air force onslaught, LTTE terrorists withdrew from the town in total disarray. Having inflicted heavy wounded on the enemy, troops are now consolidating defences and advancing further east of the Paranthan junction, security sources added.
Fall of Paranthan would too open a entry to the LTTE's residual defences at Vaddakkachchi, and Puthukkudiyiruppu areas on the A-35 road (Paranthan- Mullaittivu), defence observers asserted. Muhamalai in the southern peninsular neckline will also be indefensible for the LTTE, the sources sharp out.
The drop of Paranthan, the well-fortified LTTE barracks has remote the southern margin of the Elephant Pass LTTE grip and has also bare the LTTE's main strengthening at Kilinochchi, defence observers additional said.
The chemical factory was the hallmark of Paranthan, as long as direct and not direct profits to a lot of locals. In 1986 SLA positioned a small managerial base at Paranthan, which was connected to the major bottom at Kilinochchi. LTTE disrupt civil management in the area in early 1990s.
SLA unconventional it from the LTTE hold throughout the 'Sathjaya 1 & 2' military movement conducted on Sep, 1996. However, troops had to make a planned withdrawal in September 1998", Army sources said.
