'LTTE aircraft destroyed over Mullaittivu skies'

Colombo, Sep 9: On Tuesday, Sep 9 the Sri Lankan army claimed that the fighter jets of its Air Force had destroyed a light-wing aircraft of the LTTE, while it was returning to its hideout at Mullaittivu in the north after carrying an air raid on a key air force base in Vavuniya, north of Sri Lanka.

"The LTTE aircraft has been shot down in the Mullaittivu skies while running away following a failed mission." said the Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara. Air Force radars spotted two LTTE light-aircrafts while they were approaching the Vavuniya area around 0400 hrs (local time) and tasked its fighter jets to intercept them, he added. "The aim of the LTTE in this air mission was to target the Vavuniya airbase. However, the terrorists have failed to deliver their bombs on the target," the Air Force spokesman told the sources, denying knowledge about the details of damage suffered due to the LTTE air raid.

The Defence Ministry of Sri Lanka quoting military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the LTTE has launched simultaneous artillery attack on the forward defence of Vavuniya to support their attempted aerial mission.

He said the troops have neutralised the LTTE artillery attack with counter artillery fire "and brought the situation under control". Fresh air raids by both the warring parties have taken place at a time when heavy fighting is taking place deep inside the rebel-held territories of Wanni. There was no immediate reaction from the rebels in this regard.

UNI