LTTE training base bombed: Lankan Army

Colombo, Nov 1: Sri Lanka today claimed that supersonic fighter jets carried out an air strike on a suspected training base of the Tamil Tiger rebels in the rebel heartland of Mullaitivu early morning.

The Sri Lankan Air Force using Fighter Jet Aircraft pounded a LTTE training camp in Kokkuthoduvai, Mullaitivu about at 0630 hrs, the Defence Ministry claimed.

''Pilots confirm that the LTTE training terrorist camp was severely damaged,'' the Ministry report said without giving any further details.

However, there was no immediate word from the LTTE regarding the fresh claim.

Last week, a group of 21 LTTE suicide cadres launched a massive attack on a key Air Force base at Anuradhapura, killing 14 security force personnel and destroying at least eight aircraft, including Russia-built MI-24 helicopters, and several Unmanned Aerial spy planes.

The Air Force, which claimed that its attack capability had not been reduced in any way due to the LTTE's Commando-style attack, has regularly been carrying out air strikes since then on the suspected rebel targets in Wanni.

The Sri Lankan Government yesterday announced the imposition of censorship on war reporting through an Gazette Extraordinary notification and revoked it within hours after a Cabinet meeting headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

After revoking the censorship, the Sri Lankan President's office said in a statement that the Gazette Extraordinary imposing the censorship ''was issued in order to enable take necessary legal action with regard to the false and incorrect information about national security and matters relating to defence.'' It charged that recent reports by the ABC Radio network and other electronic media organisations had ''caused considerable anxiety and concern among the people and embarrassment to the security forces.'' ''While action is now being taken under the ordinary law with regard to these media institutions, and it is observed that the media is acting with responsibility and greater care in relation to the above matters. The Sri Lankan President has decided that there is no necessity to continue with these regulations and has accordingly decided to cancel the said Gazette Extraordinary,'' the Sri Lankan President's office statement said.

UNI