LTTE aircraft attack Lankan Air Force base

Colombo, Mar 26: Adding a new dimension to bloody ethnic war in Sri Lanka, suspected LTTE aircraft dropped explosives on the Sri Lankan Air Force base at Katunayake last night, killing at least two air force personnel and wounding few others, air force officials and rebels said.

However, they confirmed that there was no danger to the adjoining Katunayake International Airport, which is now closed for operation temporarily.

At around 12.45 am, one of the LTTE aircraft flown over the Air Force base at Katunayake and dropped some explosive items which got exploded, Air Force Spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva said.

''Our air defence system got activated and there was no major damage to the air base. The search operation is currently underway,'' Mr Silva said, reiterating that there was no danger to the adjoining international airport.

Katunayake Air Force base is the house for the Israeli-built Kfir and Russian-built Mig-27 ground attack jets of the Sri Lankan Air Force.

Quoting the initial reports, the military spokesman's office said at least two air force personnel were killed and few others were wounded in the attack.

Meanwhile, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet web site quoting LTTE's military spokesperson, Rasaiah Ilanthiraiyan reported that two aircraft belonging to Liberation Tigers carried out bombing raids at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) base at Katunayake at 12.45 last night and returned safely to Vanni.

The targets for the air attack were the hangers where SLAF's Kfir and MiG aircrafts were parked, the LTTE spokesman has said, adding that other Sri Lankan military installations would also be targets of future rebel attacks.

Residents living close to the airport said they heard a series of atleast four huge explosions and intense gunfire thereafter for about 15 minutes.

''I heard some deafening explosions, followed by intense gun firing at around 12.45-1.00 am. Now everything is stopped. We do not know what happened and where it happened,'' a resident said over the phone.

The LTTE attacked the Sri Lankan Air Force base and the adjoining international airport in July 2001, causing huge damage to the air force planes and national carriers.

During the past few months, the Sri Lankan Air Force jets have been hitting several LTTE targets in the rebel-held areas in the North and East frequently, causing heavy damages to the man and materials to the rebels.

UNI

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