Lankan war planes bomb LTTE training complex

Colombo, May 22 (UNI) Sri Lankan air force jets today carried out an airstrike and destroyed ''a pre-identified LTTE training complex, South of Mankulam,'' in the rebel-held Wanni region, this morning.

'' According to aerial reconnaissance images, the LTTE training complex was destroyed into rubbles following the air bombardment,'' a Defence Ministry report said.

Russian-built MIG-27 jets and Israeli-built K'fir supersonic jets were used to carry out the attack.

'' The SLAF fighter jets made successive sorties, dropping heavy payloads into the terrorist training complex, which was later surrounded with clouds of debris, the intelligence officials confirmed,'' it said.

The Defence Ministry report also said the training complex was believed to be a regular visiting site of the LTTE's self-styled Police Chief, Nadeshan.

'' It is not yet confirmed whether Nadeshan was present at the site, though some high profile terrorists were said to have sustained severe injuries,'' the Defence Ministry said, adding that casualty figures of the LTTE were not yet available.

There was no immediate reaction from the LTTE in this regard.

Meanwhile, the military said at least two LTTE cadres were killed and two government soldiers were wounded during a fresh confrontation west of Omanthai in the north-central Vavuniya district yesterday evening.

UNI